Brahmanbaria Razakar Mobarak gets death

Md Mobarak Hossain, a former Razakar commander from Brahmanbaria’s Akhaurha, has been sentenced to death for war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim, announced his verdict on Monday.

Two among the five charges against the 64-year-old had been proved beyond doubt, the judges said in the 92-page verdict.

He has been handed death for the killing of 33 civilians on the banks of Ganga Sagar Dighi at Akhaurha’s Tanmandayl village on Aug 22, 1971.

He was awarded life imprisonment for the abduction and murder of Abdul Khaleque of Satian Village at Brahmanbaria.

Hossain, clad in a white Panjabi, was produced in the courtroom at 11:10am.

Born in Akhaurha, he was associated with the Jamaat-e-Islami during the war with Pakistan. A businessman, he is named in the district administration’s list of Pakistan Army collaborators in Brahmanbaria.

He became a Rokon of Jamaat after collaborators were allowed back into Bangladesh politics during Ziaur Rahman’s regime.

He, however, changed sides by joining the Awami League. He was the organising secretary of the ruling party’s unit in Akhaurha’s Mogra Union until he was expelled in 2011.

Security was beefed up in the court area in anticipation of Hossain’s verdict, while freedom fighters gathered outside the tribunal, raising slogans for the maximum penalty.

The death penalty awarded to the Razakar commander was celebrated at Shahbagh, where supporters of the Ganajagaran Mancha had been awaiting the tribunal’s decision.

Charges and sentences

Charge 1 (Guilty)

The killing of 33 unarmed civilians on the west bank of Ganga Sagar Dighi at Akhaurha’s Tanmandayl village on Aug 22, 1971.

Hossain and other Razakars raided the house of Haji Noor Box after assembling almost 132 villagers there around 2pm. They were then taken by boat to a Pakistani Army camp and tortured by Hossain and his associates who wanted information on freedom fighters.

Hossain selected 26 from Tanmandayl village and seven more from Jangail village. The 33 were then detained at Terojhuri Hazat Khana.

The next day they were taken to the bank of Ganga Sagar Dighi by Razakars and Pakistani soldiers. They were made to dig waist-deep ditches where they were buried after being shot dead.

Sentence: Death by hanging

Charge 2 (Not guilty)

Hossain and his associates captured a Hindu temple ‘Anandomoyee Kalibarhi’ and renamed it ‘Razakar Manzil’. The temple was looted and idols defaced. The Razakars then wounded and confined college student ‘Ashu Ranjan’ at the temple for four days after abducting him on Oct 24, 1971. Hossain shot him dead near Kurulia Khal on Oct 28 after the youth from Shimrayl chanted ‘Joy Bangla’ when the Razakars ordered him to say ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

Sentence: Acquitted

Charge 3 (Guilty)

Abduction and murder of Abdul Khaleque of Satian village at Brahmanbaria.

Khaleque was known for helping freedom fighters. He was abducted on Nov 11 and taken to the Razakar camp at Suhilpur Union, where he was physically tortured.

That night, he was shot dead by Hossain at Bakhail Ghat on the west bank of Titas River. Relatives buried him at the Kolamuri graveyard after recovering his body the next day.

Sentence: Life in prison

Charge 4 (Not guilty)

Khadem Hossain Khan was confined and tortured at a Pakistani Army camp in Brahmanbaria College after being abducted on Nov 24 or 25 by Hossain and his cohorts from Station Road at Brahmanbaria Sadar.

He was hung upside down and subjected to inhuman torture before being sent to Brahmanbaria jail.

Sentence: Acquitted

Charge 5 (Not guilty)

Abdul Malek of Kharompur village and Md Siraj of Amirparha were abducted from their houses by Hossain and other Razakars around 11pm on Nov 28 or 29, 1971. They were taken to the army camp at Brahmanbaria College and tortured before being sent to the local jail.

Hossain then took out Md Siraj and a few others from the jail on Dec 6 and shot them dead at Kurail Khal.

Sentence: Acquitted