Tribunal to deliver war crimes verdict on three from Habiganj on Wednesday

The International Crimes Tribunal has fixed Wednesday for its verdict in the war crimes trial of two brothers from Habiganj and one of their cousins.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 31 May 2016, 06:46 AM
Updated : 31 May 2016, 06:49 AM

“The matter was on Tuesday’s cause list. The judge has fixed the date for delivering verdict,” Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman told bdnews24.com.

Mahibur Rahman alias Bara Mia, his brother Mujibur Rahman alias Angur Mia and their cousin Abdur Razzak stand accused in four charges of murder, abduction, rape, torture, loot and arson committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

The trial concluded on May 11 after closing statements by the defence and the prosecution with the trio on the dock. The court had then kept its verdict pending.

The trial started in September last year after the ICT indicted the three. Witnesses’ depositions started from Oct 21.

“The court has heard testimonies of 12 witnesses produced by the prosecution and another seven by the defence,” Prosecutor Chaman had told bdnews24.com.

All of the accused hail from Baniachong Upazila’s Khagaurha Union in Habiganj.

Sixty five-year-old Mahibur Rahman alias Bara Mia is a former chairman of the union while his brother 60-year-old Mujibur Rahman alias Angur Mia is the current chairman.

In February 2014, the prosecution’s investigation wing started the probe against the brothers.

The probe report says, the local ‘Razakar’ (collaborators of the Pakistani army) camp and torture cell at Khagaurha Union was set up at the house of MNA (member of national assembly) Kamrul Ahsan.

The elder Rahmans' elder brother, ‘Kalamdhar’, headed the local Peace Committee and their other brother, ‘Mostafa’ was the local Razakar commander.

The tribunal issued arrest warrants for the Rahman brothers on Feb 10 last year on the prosecution’s petition. Local police arrested them the same day.

They were produced before the tribunal on Feb 12.

On May 17 the same year, an arrest warrant was out for their cousin Abdur Razzak, who was arrested two days later from Moulvibazar.

Prosecution pressed charges against the three the same day and the tribunal took cognisance of it on May 31.