Three Jamalpur men get death for 1971 war crimes in Bangladesh

The International Crimes Tribunal has found eight men from Jamalpur guilty of crimes against humanity during Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.

In its verdict delivered on Monday, the court ordered death sentence for three while five others have to spend rest of the life in prison.

The eight convicted for war crimes are former Islami Bank director Sharif Ahmmed alias Sharif Hossain, Md Ashraf Hossain, Md Abdul Mannan, Md Abdul Bari, ‘Harun’, Md Abul Hashem, advocate Md Shamsul Haq alias ‘Badar Bhai’, and SM Yusuf Ali.

The prosecution levelled five charges of murder, abduction, torture, arson and loot and three of them have been proven beyond doubt, the court said in its verdict.

Convicts Md Ashraf Hossain, Md Abdul Mannan and Md Abdul Bari have been given death sentences while the rest five have been ordered prison until death.

Charge 1

Abduction, torture, looting, arsons and killing of 1,000 pro-liberation persons in Jamalpur between Apr 22 and Dec 11 in 1971.

Charges have been not proven against Sharif Hossain and SM Yusuf Ali.

Charge 2

Murder, abduction, torture, looting, arson at two villages in Sharishabarhi Upazila between July 14 and 22 in 1971.

Death sentences for Md Ashraf Hossain, Md Abdul Mannan and Md Abdul Bari. 

Prison until death for Sharif Hossain and 'Harun'.

Charge 3

Abduction and murder of Liberation War organiser Nurul Amin at Jamalpur town on Jul 10, 1971.

Prison until death for Sharif Hossain, Md Ashraf Hossain, Md Abdul Mannan, Md Abdul Bari, Shamsul Haq, Md Abul Hashem and SM Yusuf Ali.

Charge 4

Murder and torture of pro-liberation people between Apr 22 and Dec 11 at a torture cell set up at Jamalpur's Ashek Mahmud Degree College.

Prison until death for Sharif Hossain, Md Ashraf Hossain, Md Abdul Mannan and Md Abdul Bari.

Charge 5

Torture and murder of around 1,000 civilians at a torture centre set up at the Jamalpur Primary Training Institute between Apr 22 and Dec 11.

Charges have been not proven against Sharif Hossain, Md Ashraf Hossain, Md Abdul Mannan, Md Abdul Bari, Shamsul Haq, Md Abul Hashem and SM Yusuf Ali.

All of the convicted war criminals, except Md Shamsul Haq and SM Yusuf Ali, are absconding.

The two were produced in court on Monday for presence during the verdict.

Their counsel Gazi MH Tamim told the media after the verdict that they will appeal against it.

Prosecutor Turin Afroz said they were satisfied and would decide on their next step after going through the verdict.

The prison van, which brought convicts Md Shamsul Haq and SM Yusuf Ali from Gazipur’s Kashimpur prison reached the tribunal around 9am.

They were kept at the tribunal’s lock-up cell and around 10:30am, taken to the court.

The proceedings began with the tribunal Chairman Anwarul Haque’s opening remarks after which Justice Md Shohrowardi started to read out the summary of the verdict.

Justice Md Shahinur Islam read a part of the 289-page summary verdict. The proceeding ended with the tribunal's chairman delivering the sentence.