Death for Razakar Mohibur, prison until death for both his brothers

A special court has sentenced Habigani’s Mohibur Rahman to death and ordered his younger brother Mujibur Rahman and cousin Abdur Razzak to imprisonment until death.

The three-strong International Crimes Tribunal, headed by Justice Md Anwarul Haque, sentenced the trio after reading a 240-page verdict on Wednesday. 

The partners in crime from Baniachang Upazila had taken a stand against Bangladesh’s struggle for independence and joined the Razakar militia raised by the Pakistan Army to crush it.

The trial has brought to the fore crimes against humanity that included mass murder, rapes,  looting and arson in several villages of the northeastern district.

The judgment said the prosecution has proven four counts of charges it levelled against the trio. 

"The prosecution is happy with the verdict, it proves that the three were Razakars," said prosecutor Sultan Mahmud. 

The defence is disappointed with the war crime tribunal’s decision and Masud Rana, the counsel for the convicts, said they will contest it in the highest court. They have a month to challenge the sentence.

Celebratory marches were taken out and sweets distributed in Habiganj.

Charges and sentences:

1.	Killing of Freedom Fighters Akal Ali and Rajab Ali and hiding their bodies on Nov 11	Murder	Mohibur: Death Mujibur: Prison until death Razzak:  Prison until death
2.	Attack, arson, and looting of the Khagaura house of Gen MA Rob, an organiser of the Liberation War	Arson and loot	Mohibur: 10 years Mujibur: 10 years Razzak:  10 years
3.	Helping Pakistani soldiers rape wife of Manjab Ali, younger sister of Allat Mia on the same day at Khagaura. Mia’s sister later killer herself.	Rape	Mohibur: 20 years Mujibur: 20 years Razzak:  20 years
4.	Abduction and torture of Ansar Ali who was permanently maimed	Abduction and torture	Mohibur: 7 years Mujibur: 7 years Razzak:  7 years

Trial

The wife of Freedom Fighter Aakal Mia, Bhingraj Bibi, in 2009 filed the war crimes case accusing six at the Habiganj Judicial Magistrate’s Court. It was later transferred to the war crimes tribunal.​

The prosecution’s investigators began looking into the accusations on Feb 11, 2014. The case’s investigation officer Nur Hossain heard statements of 21 witnesses during the inquiry.

The tribunal issued warrants of arrest against Mohibur and Mujibur on Feb 10, 2015 and Baniachang police arrested them hours later.

On May 19 that year, Razzak was arrested in Athangiri hill of Moulvibazar district. The same day, the prosecution formally charged them in court, which admitted the charges on May 31.

The special court put the brothers on trial on Sept 29. The recording of testimony began on Oct 21 – seven testified for the prosecution while seven deposed for the defence.

The court on May 11 kept the case pending for judgment after the conclusion of arguments from both sides.

The Razakar brothers 

Mohibur Rahman, locally Boro Mia, was born in 1950 at Kumurshana village in Baniachang. His brother Mujibur, locally Angur Mia, was born five years later. 

Both failed to finish school and ended up as close associates of Syed Kamrul Ahsan, top leader of the pro-Pakistani Nejam-e-Islami.

In 1971, the two brothers joined the Razakar militia to fight alongside the Pakistan army. The local Razakar camp and torture cell was based in Ahsan's house.

After 1975, when war criminals were rehabilitated by the military regime, Mujibur joined Jamaat-e-Islami.

Abdur Razzak, a cousin of Mohubur and Mujibur, was born in 1952.  He is illiterate. Like his cousins, he joined Razakar militia after being involved with the pro-Pakistan Nejam-e-Islami party.