The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 will today deliver its verdict in a war crime case against four men. The four accused— Akmal Ali Talukder, 76; Abdun Nur Talukder alias Lal Miah, 62; Anis Miah, 76; and Abdul Musabbir Miah, 64—are residents of Rajnagar upazila in Moulvibazar. While Akma  is in jail, the three other accused are absconding. A three-member ICT bench, headed by Justice Md Shahinur Islam, yesterday fixed the date for delivering the verdict.

On March 27, the tribunal had concluded hearing arguments from both the defence and prosecution lawyers, but kept the verdict waiting. This will be the 33rd verdict since the ICT began hearing cases in 2010 of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War. The accused are facing two cases of war crimes.

The prosecutor, Sheikh Mushfik Kabir, said the accused were charged with killing 59 people, raping six and looting and arson attacks on 81 households in 1971.  “I believe the prosecution has proved all the accusations through sufficient testimony and evidence. We have sought capital punishment for the accused,” he added. The prosecution had pressed the charges against the accused on May 31, 2016, and the tribunal framed two charges against them on May 7, 2017.

The tribunal had issued arrest warrants against the four suspects on November 26, 2015, and police arrested Akmal Ali from Pachgaon of Rajnagar the same day. Akmal, who is a retired vice-principal of Moulvibazar Town Senior Qawmi Madrasa, was then sent to jail by the tribunal. The investigation committee finalised the case report on March 23, 2016. The court began hearing the witnesses on July 4 the same year.