'Verdict dubs Al-Badr as death squad’

Death verdict against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mohammad Kamaruzzaman has also established that Al-Badr had acted as a ‘death squad’ in its attempt to thwart the country’s liberation war in 1971, said Tureen Afroz prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 9 May 2013, 08:08 AM
Updated : 9 May 2013, 08:53 AM

She made the observation while giving her reaction on the verdict to reporters.

Evidence pointed out that Kamaruzzaman, the then president of Mymensingh’s unit of Islami Chhatra Shangha (presently Islami Chhatra Shibir), organised the Al-Badr unit to indulge in mass killings, rape and loot in the district.

“This verdict is important because it established war crime charges against the leadership of Al-Badr. In the ruling it was mentioned that Al-Badr was a death squad” Turin Afroz said.

The prosecutor said, “Tribunal’s in its order even stated that it is inhumane to publicly insult one’s teacher, so I believe this will have an international significance.”

Kamaruzzaman and his associates had stripped lecturer Abdul Hannan, garlanded him with shoes, smeared his body with limestone and charcoal before whipping and parading him around Sherpur town during 1971. Abdul Hannan was a lecturer in Islamic History and Culture Department of Sherpur College.