Tribunal sentences Kaiser to death for 1971 war crimes

Former Jatiya Party minister Syed Mohammed Kaiser has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity in 1971.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 delivered the verdict in Kaiser’s presence on Tuesday.

The tribunal found him guilty in 14 of the 16 charges brought against him.

A Muslim League leader in 1971, Kaiser has been given the death penalty in seven charges, imprisonment until death in three, life in prison in one and 5 to 10 years in prison in another three.

Two of the charges against him were not proven.

ICT-2 Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan read out a summary of the 484-page verdict in a packed courtroom.

The vehicle carrying Kaiser from the Dhaka Central Jail reached the tribunal premises around 8:45am.

An hour later, Kaiser was taken to the courtroom when proceedings started after 11am.

Kaiser's son Syed Galib Ahmed and his brothers SABM Humayun and SKM Selim were also present in the courtroom.

Kaiser had raised a militia in his name - ‘Kaiser Bahini’- with 500 to 600 anti-liberation activists to support the Pakistan Army in 1971.

He guided the Pakistani troops to various villages to attack and abuse Hindus and supporters of Bangladesh’s liberation.

Kasier went into hiding as soon as the country became free and later resurfaced in Bangladesh politics in 1978.

He contested as an independent candidate and won the 1979 parliamentary polls from the Sylhet-17 constituency.

Kaiser later joined the BNP, when it was founded by the country's first military dictator Ziaur Rahman, and became the president of its Habiganj unit.

He later shifted to HM Ershad's Jatiya Party and won from the Habiganj-4 constituency in 1988.

He became the Minister for State for Agriculture during HM Ershad’s regime.
 

The charges and sentences

1. Attack on a police post and murder-looting-arson at Kazibarhi village (Guilty)

Syed Md Kaiser and his militia force, 'Kaisar Bahini' attacked a police outpost in Brahmanbarhia Sadr Upazila on the morning of Apr 27, 1971. They then went to the Kazibarhi of Islampur Village and killed Shahjahan Chairman, tortured one Nayeb Ali followed by looting and arson at 15 houses of the village.

Sentence: Life in prison

2. Looting and arson of houses at Katiara Village (Guilty)

The same day Kaiser and his people flanked by the Pakistan Army killed several people at Habiganj district's Madhabpur Thana in the afternoon. They also set fire to houses in Katiara Village and burnt down a market area with businesses mostly owned by Hindus.

Sentence: 10 years prison term

3. Killing of four at Krishnanagar Village (Guilty)

On the night of Apr 27, 1971, Kaiser and his men raided the village at Habiganj's Madhabpur Thana. The 'Kaiser Bahini' men killed Ahid Pathan, Cherag Ali, Jonab Ali and 'Madhu Sweeper' at the village and then looted and set fire to their homes.

Sentence: Death

4. Murder of 15 people at Madhabpur Bazar (Not guilty)

On Apr 28, 1971, Kaiser and his men with the Pakistani forces attacked the Madhabpur Bazar in Habignaj. They opened fire and left 15 people, including Abdus Sattar, Lalu Miah and Barkat Ali, dead. They also looted and set fire to businesses and homes in the area.

5. Murder of seven at a Habignaj warehouse (Guilty)

On Apr 29, 1971, Kaiser and his men attacked a warehouse at Shaistaganj Thana in the district. They confined seven staff of the warehouse and tortured them for a month. On the afternoon of May 29, the seven were taken to bridge nearby and shot dead by the Pakistani army on Kaiser's instructions.

Sentence: Death

6. Murder of Dr Salehuddin and Hirendra Chnadra Roy (Guilty)

On Apr 29, the two were stopped by Pakistani army forces at the behest of Kaiser at the Puran Bazar area of Shaistaganj Thana. The men were dragged out of their car and tortured for hours before they were shot dead.

Sentence: Death

7. Arson and looting at Habiganj Town (Guilty)

The Pakistani forces and men of 'Kaiser Bahini' attacked the district town on Apr 30. 45 houses were looted amid panic created by random firing.

Sentence: 7 years prison term

8. Rape and torture of workers at a Habiganj tea estate (Guilty)

On May 11, Kaiser led a group of Pakistani troops to a tea garden in Habiganj's Chunarughat Thana and tortured the workers. A Santal tribal woman, Hiramoni was raped. The prosecution accuses Kaiser of abetting the rape.

Sentence: Death

9. Murder of eight at Habiganj's Lohaid village (Guilty)

Pakistani forces and Kaiser Bahini men attacked the village and picked up Abdul Aziz, Abdul Gafur, Jamiruddin, Azimuddin, Etimunnesa, Nur Ali, Alamchan Bibi and Abdul Ali and charged them with bayonets before shooting them dead.

Sentence: Imprisonment until death

10. Killing of Shah Firoz Ali at Habiganj army camp (Guilty)

Ali, who was a pro-Liberation supporter, was picked up by collaborators at the behest of Kaiser on Jun 13. He was brought to the Shaistaganj army camp the next day. His son Shah Hossain Ali was captured on Jul 16. He was severely tortured leading to amputation of his leg and released by the end of August. The father died in the army camp in detention.

Sentence: Death

11. Murder, abduction and torture at three villages (Guilty)

Kaiser took his militia to Habiganj's Nasirnagar on Jun 23 to loot, set fire and abduct people from numerous villages. Golam Rauf Master and his family members were severely tortured and Master was whisked away to Kaiser's house. He was held there for a week and released for ransom. Master died after two weeks due to injuries caused by torture.

Sentence: 5 years prison term

12. Rape of Majeda Begum at Madhabpur army camp (Guilty)

In Aug, men of Kaisar Bahini abducted Aftab Mia, his daughter Majeda Begum and his brother Ayub Mia and brought them to the army camp. The prosecution claims Kaiser handed over Begum to the members of the Pakistani army. She was raped for the next 8 to 10 days by the troopers.

Sentence: Death

13. Murder of three at the Nalua tea garden (Guilty)

On Aug 18, three civilians including Abdus Shahid were abducted and brought to the tea garden on Kaiser's instructions. They were tortured and killed later in the day.

Sentence: Imprisonment until death

14. Killing of four freedom fighters at a Habiganj village (Guilty)

On Sept 29, freedom fighters Seraj Ali, Akkas Ali, Abdus Sattar and Wahed Ali were picked up from a house at Mojpur village in Madhabpur Thana. They were shot dead later on a bridge over the nearby Sonai River.

Sentence: Imprisonment until death

15. Murder of Md Nazim Uddin (Not Guilty)

In October, 1971, Md Nazim Uddin was abducted from his home at Shahjibazar Thana upon Kaiser's instruction. He was taken to the Shahjibazar army camp. Uddin was detained and tortured for 20 days before being murdered.

16. Massacre in 22 villages (Guilty)

On Nov 15, 1971, a group of collaborators led by Kaiser and the Pakistani forces attacked 22 villages at the Nasirnagar Thana in Brahmanbarhia. At least 108 unarmed civilians, who belonged to the Hindu community, were killed. Scores of houses were looted and set on fire.

Sentence: Death