Five get death in absentia for 71 war crimes
STAFF REPORTER, Dhaka
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) yesterday (Thursday) sentenced five war criminals of Netrokona to death, for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971. The five are: Sheikh Md Abdul Majid, alias Majit Moulana, Md Abdul Khalek Talukder, Md Kabir Khan, Abdus Salam Beg and Md Nuruddin, alias Raddin.
All of them are residents of Purbadhala upazila in Netrokona district. They faced seven charges and are now in hiding. They were tried in absentia. A three-member ICT bench, headed by its chairman, Justice Md Shahinur Islam, gave the verdict in absentia. The tribunal ordered the home secretary and inspector general of police to arrest the fugitives and execute the verdict. In its verdict, the ICT said: The inherent nature and pattern of the violence and aggression conducted as found proved [as narrated in all the seven charges] indisputably makes the issue of awarding just punishment extremely imperative. Letters of law cannot remain non-responsive to the victims and relatives of martyrs and the nation too who have been still carrying colossal and unspeakable trauma.
The verdict said: In view of reasoned discussion made herein above and considering the nature and proportion to the gravity of offences and also keeping the factors as discussed above into account, we are of the unanimous view
that justice would be met if the convicted accused persons, who have been found guilty beyond reasonable doubt, are sentenced to death under the ICT act.
The verdict also said: Since the five convicted accused persons have been absconding, the sentence of death , as awarded above, shall be executed after causing their arrest or when they surrender before the tribunal, whichever is earlier.
On January 28, the tribunal kept the verdict waiting after both the prosecution and defence completed their closing arguments in the case.
The tribunal framed charges against six persons, but one of them, Abdur Rahman, died in custody and thus was exempted.
The prosecution submitted a charge-sheet against the accused for their alleged involvement in killing eight people after abduction, torching eight houses, looting valuables and violating a woman during the Liberation War.
Prosecutor Sabina Yeasmin Khan Munni said the ICT issued arrest warrants for seven accused on August 12, 2015. Following the tribunal order, the police arrested Abdur Rahman.
Abdur Rahman died during the trial proceedings in 2016. Another accused, Ahmed Ali, died in October 2015 at the age of 78.
On April 19, 2017, the tribunal framed seven charges against the five Razakar leaders of Netrokona. The charges include murder, abduction, rape, arson, looting and torture.
Abdul Quadir, a freedom fighter of Purbadhala upazila of Netrakona district and brother of one of the victims, filed the case against the accused in 2013.
Prosecutors Mokhlesur Rahman Badal and Sabina Yeasmin Khan Munni appeared on behalf of the state, while state-appointed lawyer Advocate Gazi HM Tamim defended the accused during the trial proceedings of the case.
