MP, ex-MP, 23 others sued for war crimes

A freedom fighter yesterday filed a case against 25 people including an incumbent and a former Jatiya Party lawmaker for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971.

Abul Kalam, son of Abdul Aziz of Kanihari in Trishal and a regional organiser of the Liberation War, filed the case with the Cognisance Court No 3 of Senior Judicial Magistrate Mitful Islam.

The court sent the case documents to the International Crimes Tribunal for further proceedings, the plaintiff's lawyer Abdur Rahman Al-Hussain Raz said.

The accused are JP lawmaker from Trishal MA Hannan, former JP lawmaker from the same constituency Anisur Rahman Manik, 70, his two brothers -- Muklesur Rahman Mukul, 65, and Saidur Rahman Ratan, 64, Shamsul Haque Bachchu, 70, Maulana Md Mofazzol Hossain, 72, Mukul Master, 70, Razakar commander Adil, 70, Shamsul Haque Fakir, 72, Nurul Haque Fakir, 70, Nazrul Islam Fakir, 65, Sultan Fakir, 62, Gedu Chairman, Morshed Ali, 65, Kafil Uddin, 70, Helal Uddin, 65, Ibrahim Miah, 70, and Khadem Ali, 65.

Kalam also named seven dead men in the case -- Sirajul Haque, Abdul Khaleque Sarker, Abdul Latif, Maulana Khaleque Ghudu Miah, Asmat Ali Fakir, Md Faruq and Badal Miah.

Contacted, Raz said though the accused are dead they were involved in the crimes and the investigator would take a decision about implicating them [dead men] after the probe.

All the accused are from different villages in Trishal upazila.

On May 19 last year, a martyr's widow filed a case against MA Hannan and two others for allegedly committing crimes against humanity during the War. The investigation agency of the tribunal is now carrying out an investigation against Hannan and seven others.

Following an arrest warrant issued by the International Crimes Tribunal-1, police arrested Hannan, the alleged general secretary of Mymensingh district Peace Committee, an anti-liberation organisation in 1971, and four others. Three others are still on the run.

Yesterday's case is the third filed against Manik, who became a member of parliament with Jatiya Party ticket in 1988, in connection with war crimes.

In October last year, a former leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, associated student organisation of ruling Awami League, filed a case against Manik, Mukul, Ratan, Sultan and Shamsul. Besides, a son of a martyr filed a case against 12 people including Manik in December last year.

According to yesterday's case documents, the accused were involved with Muslim League, Islami Chhatra Sangha and Nezam-e-Islami, all anti-liberation organisations, and subsequently got involved with the Peace Committee and Razakar force in Trishal.

More than 100 people were killed by the anti-liberation forces during the War and a list of 57 martyrs was also mentioned in the case.

The accused helped the Pakistani army in the area and also committed crimes including murders, rapes and arsons, reads the case statement.

On April 21, 1971, the Pakistani army advanced towards Trishal breaking a barricade put up by hundreds of pro-liberation people. When the invaders reached Kalirbazar area, they started shooting at unarmed people, leaving huge casualties, it adds.

During the attack, the accused in several groups and equipped with weapons rushed to the spot and expressed their solidarity with the military. The accused later led different anti-liberation organisations and continued killing, looting, rape, torture on women and arsons, reads the statement.

They also set up a torture cell at Kanihari School where many pro-liberation people were allegedly tortured. Yunus Ali Inu, Abdul Hamid, Golam Rasul and Abdus Samad were killed by the accused and they were buried at a mass grave behind the camp, it was alleged.

Contacted, accused Saidur Rahman Ratan denied his involvement in war crimes saying, "The allegations are totally baseless, motivated and fabricated to tarnish my social and personal images."

He said his brother Manik was physically sick and unable to talk to reporters.

Sanaul Huq, co-coordinator of the investigation agency, told The Daily Star that an investigation against Hannan was going on.

He said they would carry out a preliminary probe into the allegations upon receiving the case documents and start a formal investigation if they found preliminary evidence.