ICT to declare on Nov 1 whether or not Aminul and Liakat will be indicted

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has set Nov 1 to announce its decision over the trial of M Liakat Ali and Aminul Islam, two suspected war criminals.

Aminul Islam from Kishoreganj and Liakat Ali, former president of Awami League Lakhai unit in Habiganj, have been charged with committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
 
A three-member bench led by Justice Anwarul Hoque announced the date after hearing the framing of charges on Thursday.
 
Rana Das Gupta was present on behalf of the prosecution. His aide Rozia Sultana Chaman told bdnews24.com: “The court will declare on Nov 1 whether the two will be tried or not.”
 
Defence counsel Advocate Gazi MH Tamim said Liakat Ali had been the president of Awami League Lakhai unit in Habiganj from 2003 to 2013. He was accused in a war crime case in 2010.
 
On May 18, the tribunal issued arrest warrants against the two suspects. They are currently on the run. 
 
Seven charges
 
Charge 1: Conducting mass killing and looting along with the Pakistan army and Razakar forces in Krishnopur village under Lakhai police station on Sep 18, 1971. Murdering 43 Hindus, including Radhika Mohon Ray and Sunil Shwarma, at the house of Nripen Roy in the village on the same date.
 
Charge 2: Mass killing and looting in Chondipur village under Lakha Police Station
 
Charge 3: Mass killing and looting in Godainagar village under Lakhai Police Station
 
Charge 4: Murder at a crematory in Sodanagar village under Oshtogram Police Station in Habiganj
 
Charge 5: Abduction of Bacchu Mia from Fandauk village under Nasirnagar Police Station in Brahmanbarhia and abduction and murder of Rongu Mia
 
Charge 6: Conducting murders at ‘Chowdhury House’ in Sabianagar village under Oshtogram Police Station
 
Charge 7:  Conducting murders at ‘Khan House’ in Sabianagar village
 
Investigations have shown that Liakat was a student of Brahmanbahia College in 1971. As a member of the Muslim League, he was appointed in-charge of Fandauk Union unit of the Razakar force.
 
He returned to the area after liberation and joined the Awami League. At one point, he became president of Lakhai Police Station committee of the party.
 
The prosecution said Liakat, who went fugitive during the investigations, was not holding the position anymore.
 
On the other hand, Aminul Islam was an eleventh grade student of Bhairab Hashmot Ali College in Alinagar village under Oshtogram Police Station in Kishoreganj in 1970.
 
After the War of Liberation began, he received training from a Pakistani camp in Bhairab and formed an Al-Badar team in his area.
 
According to the investigation report, Aminul was detained by freedom fighters after liberation. He was indicted in three cases under the 1972 Collaborators Act and sentenced to a life term in prison.
 
But with the repeal of the act, he was able to come out of prison in 1981. Later he published a book titled ‘Ami Al Badar Bolchhi.’
 
There are confessions made by Aminul of committing crimes against humanity in his book, says the report.