Verdict on 6 Gaibandha ‘war criminals’ tomorrow

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 will deliver its verdict tomorrow in a case filed against six Gaibandha men, including a former Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker, allegedly for committing crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam today fixed the date for delivering the verdict.

The accused are Jamaat's ex-MP Abu Saleh Md Abdul Aziz Mia, Ruhul Amin alias Manju, Abu Muslim Md Ali, Abdul Latif, Najmul Huda and Abdur Rahim Mia. Abdul Latif is now in jail while the others are absconding.

The accused are facing three charges -- looting and killing of a Hindu man at Moujamali village in Gaibandha Sadarupazila, killing of a Chhatra League leader, and killing of 13 chairmen and members of five unions in Sundarganj of the district.

On October 23, wrapping up their arguments Prosecutor Syed Hider Ali prayed for capital punishment saying that they have been able to prove all the three charges against the accused while defence counsel Gazi MH Tamim sought acquittal of the accused. The tribunal kept the delivery of the verdict in waiting after closing the arguments in the case on May 9, but it reached an impasse following the death of its ICT’s the then chairman Justice Anwarul Haque on July 13.

The tribunal on October 12 decided to hear the closing arguments again as the tribunal was reconstituted with a new chairman and two members.