Over 400 murdered: life sentence ends in 11 months

War criminal Abdul Alim, a Razakar leader sentenced to life in jail for being directly responsible for the deaths of over 400 people during the 1971 Liberation War, has died before serving the sentence even for one year.

His death has made the war crimes case against him which is pending appeal hearing at Supreme Court’s Appellate Division void, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam observes.

Alim, who was supposed to spend the rest of his life in prison for committing large-scale atrocities in 1971, died on Saturday at a prison cell at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital while undergoing treatment.

The 84-year-old has been at BSMMU’s prison ward since the life imprisonment verdict was handed down in Oct 9 last year by the International Crimes Tribunal.

Asked about the future of Alim’s appeal against the verdict, Alam told bdnews24.com: “How can the case continue if the man who appealed is no more?”

“This has made the case at the Appellate Division null and void. A sentence does not continue after death.”

Alim was found guilty of crimes like murder, genocide and loot in Joypurhat during the 1971 Liberation War and was sentenced to prison until death.

Nine of the 17 charges levelled against him were proved beyond a shadow of doubt.

Describing the murder and genocide in four incidents he committed as ‘utterly heinous’ acts, the tribunal in its verdict said Alim was not given the death penalty as he was physically or mentally unfit. But his crimes were so heinous that setting him free would undermine humanity.

That is why he would have to spend the rest of his life between the walls of prison so that he might feel remorse for his acts, said the verdict.

But the war criminal has died after serving only 11 months of his sentence in jail.

Abdul Alim was vice-chairman of Bogra district council and an influential leader of Convention Muslim League during the final stages of the War of Independence.

Alim was the chairman of Joypurhat ‘Shanti (Peace) Committee’ formed to assist the Pakistani army. He was directly involved in forming the local Razakar unit there and in committing crimes against humanity during the war.

He was accused under the Collaborators Act brought on by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after Bangladesh’s liberation from Pakistan.

He was elected chairman of Joypurhat Municipality in 1975 and 1977 and won parliamentary elections in 1979, 1996 and 2001 on BNP ticket.

Known as a Razakar leader, Alim served military strongman and BNP founder General Ziaur Rahman's Cabinet first as the textiles minister and then as communications minister in 1978.

The charges

The second war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh had found Abdul Alim guilty of nine of the 17 charges levelled against him.

In four of them, he was sentenced life in jail.

Charge 02

On Apr 26, 1971 between 9am and 5pm, Alim along with Pakistani army Major Afzal and his troops, accompanied by members of the peace committee, attacked Hindu populated localities of Koroi, Kadipur, Chawkpara, Sonarpara, Palpara, Monshipara. Their houses were looted and set on fire and many were apprehended.

A total of 370 Hindus were shot dead there. One 90-year-old Kanchira Mohan was slaughtered and one Aswini Kumar Debnath was buried alive.

Charge 08

In the last part of May during the Liberation War, Alim, accompanied by Pakistani army Major Afzal and peace committee and Razakars went to Uttarhat Shahor. He told a meeting attended by 500/700 people, "The Hindus would not be forgiven," and encouraged loot of whatever they (Hindus) had.

At the end of May, 'Hindu Palli', 'Uttarhat Shahor', 'Harunjahat' and surrounding areas were attacked and looted. Ten Hindus were apprehended and brought to the office of the peace committee located at the 'Gadi Ghar' where they were killed at a place called Khanjanpur Kuthibari Ghat as per Alim's order.

Charge 10

In the last part of June, from the peace committee's 'Gadi Ghar' office at Shownlal Bajla, Alim decided to kill 26 detained suspected freedom fighters. They were brought to the western open site of Joypurhat Railway Station by a truck. Keeping some arms of their own in front of the detainees, the Pakistani army, members of peace committee and Razakar including Alim and Major Afzal stood behind them. Motasim Billah, owner of 'Alokhela Studio' took photograph. Alim later collected photograph including the negative from the studio owner, although Motasim Billah kept some copies of photograph with him.

The detainees were taken to Joypurhat College and were killed.

Charge 14

On Oct 7, 1971 members of local peace committee, Razakers and Pakistani army, apprehended three men including freedom fighter Fazlul Karim and took them in front of Joypurhat CO Office. As per Alim's order and in his presence, faces of the detainees were painted and they were moved around the town on truck. Then they were taken to 'khanjan pur kuthibari ghat' where they were shot dead.

In the first three, Alim was charged with genocide and the last one charged with murder for the offence. All of them were proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The case

Former BNP minister Abul Alim was arrested from his Joypurhat residence on Mar 27, 2011, hours after the International Crimes Tribunal-1 issued an warrant for him.

He was sent to jail the next day after his bail plea was rejected.

But the ICT-1 had granted him conditional bail and extended it on several occasions due to health reasons.

His trial began on July 9, 2012, and he was indicted for 17 war crime charges on June 11.

In April 2013, his case was shifted to ICT-2, which began hearing it on Apr 24 same year.

Alim was the first accused among those charged with war crimes to enjoy bail throughout the trial process. He secured bail as he was confined to a wheelchair and required the assistance of two persons to move about.

He had stayed in Banani with his son Faisal Alim who is the Managing Director of mobile content provider Wintel Limited.

Following the tribunal’s order, the investigators had questioned him there instead of taking him at a safe home because of his age and health issues.

The prosecution had submitted the formal charges against Alim in March 2012 and the ICT-1 took cognisance of the charges on Mar 27 same year.