Former MP Sakhawat gets death penalty for war atrocities in Jessore, seven others get prison until death

Former Jessore MP Sakhawat Hossain will have to die and seven others rot in jail for the rest of their lives for violent atrocities they let loose in the villages of Keshabpur in the 1971, the war crimes tribunal has decreed.

The sentences were pronounced by the three-strong International Crimes Tribunal headed by Justice Anwarul Haque on Wednesday.

The court found all of the five charges brought against the defendants to have been proved beyond doubt.

Four of them defended themselves against the first charge, eight against second, four against third, five against fourth and six against the fifth charge.

Handing down the death sentence on Shakhawat, the special court said the authorities can execute the verdict by hanging or using the firing squad.

The rest will spend the remainder of their life in prison.

Jatiya Party’s Presidium Member ‘Mawlana’ Sakhawat and Md Billal Hossain Biswas were in the dock when the court ruling came.

Md Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh Md Mojibur Rahman, MA Aziz Sardar, Abdul Aziz Sardar, Kazi Ohidul Islam and Md Abdul Khalek are fleeing from justice.

Charges against another defendant, Md Lutfur Morol, were dropped after he had died in prison from illness.

According to chargesheet, all of them had joined either Al-Badr or Razakar militia forces to help Pakistan thwart the freedom struggle of Bengalis during the Liberation War.
 
Sakhawat Hossain was a member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami. He had joined Al-Badr when it was formed.
 
The seven others were members of the Razakar force.
 
Their trial has brought up the horrifying brutal atrocities they had committed at Keshabpur Upazila during the war.
 
Sakhawat, a political opportunist, was once a leader in the Jamaat. Later he joined BNP. But before joining JP, the politician had brief stints with the LDP and PDP.
 
His lawyer said they were ‘not happy’ with the tribunal’s verdict. “We will appeal.”
 
The prosecution, however, said they were pleased and that the judgment has assured the nation that justice will prevail.
 
Now, the convicts have one month to appeal against their sentences. But to exercise that right those who are fugitives from justice will have to surrender first.
 
Until now, the tribunal has given the death sentence to 27 out of 44 war criminals accused in 25 cases.

Charge 1

Abduction, detainment, torture and rape of a woman from Boga village at Jessore's Keshabpur Upazila.

20-year jail sentences for Sakhawat Hossain, Md Ibrahim Hossain, MA Aziz Sardar and Abdul Aziz Sardar.

Charge 2

Abduction, detainment, torture and murder of Chandtulla Gazi and his son from Chingra village of Keshabpur.

Death sentence for Sakhawat Hossain. 

Prison until death for Md Billal Hossain Biswas, Md Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh Md Mojibur Rahman, MA Aziz Sardar, Abdul Aziz Sardar, Kazi Ohidul Islam and Md Abdul Khalek.

Charge 3

Abduction, detainment and torture of Md Nuruddin Moral of Chingra village.

10-year jail sentences for Sakhawat Hossain, Sheikh Md Mojibur Rahman and Md Abdul Khalek.

Charge has been not proven against Md Ibrahim Hossain.

Charge 4

Abduction, detainment, torture  and murder of A Malek of Keshabpur’s Hizaldanga.

Death sentence for Sakhawat Hossain.

Prison until death for Md Ibrahim Hossain, MA Aziz Sardar, Abdul Aziz Sardar and Md Abdul Khalek.

Charge 5

Abduction, detainment, and torture of Miran Sheikh of Keshabpur’s Mahadebpur and looting and torching of the village.

15-year jail sentences for Sakhawat Hossain, Md Ibrahim Hossain, MA Aziz Sardar, Abdul Aziz Sardar and Md Abdul Khalek.

The trial began on Dec 23 last year.

The prosecution’s probe agency began investigating 12 persons including Sakhawat on Feb 4, 2012. They submitted their report to the tribunal on Jun 18 last year. 

The indictment hearing was held on Jun 26. Three were let off after the tribunal found ‘no basis to the allegations’ against them.  
 
The nine were officially charged on Sep 8.