Shariatpur's Idris Ali to face death for 1971 war crimes

Shariatpur's Idris Ali Sardar has been sentenced to death for the atrocities he committed during the 1971 War of Independence.

In its verdict delivered on Monday, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has ordered the execution of the fugitive war criminal, either hanged by the neck or shot by a firing squad.

There is no instance in the country of anyone, awarded capital punishment under the Criminal Procedure Code, being executed by a firing squad.

Death sentences are executed in Bangladesh by hanging the convicts.

Idris has been found guilty in all four charges brought against him.

He has been awarded the death penalty in the first two counts for the murders of 200 people and the killings of numerous others as well as torturing women.

The tribunal ordered prison until death in the third charge of killing four persons by bayonet and a seven-year jail term for forced deportation of Hindus.

Solaiman Molla aka Solaiman Moulvi, the other person accused in the case, died on Oct 25 while being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital's prison cell. The charges against him have been dropped.

According to the charges levelled by prosecution, the two actively opposed Bangladesh's struggle for independence in 1971.

Idris Ali was a leader of the Islami Chhatra Shango, then student front of Jamaat-e-Islami. He was involved with Jamaat politics after the war ended.

Solaiman was involved with the Muslim League and later joined Jamiatul Ulamay e-Islami.

The two joined the ‘Razakar Bahini’ when the war broke out and committed various crimes against humanity.

Prosecutor Zead Al Malum said they were satisfied with the verdict.

State-appointed defence counsel Gazi MH Tamim said he believes his client will be acquitted in the higher court if he turns himself in  and challenges the verdict.

The defence has a month's time to appeal against the ICT verdict, but Idris has to surrender to appeal in High Court.

Idris is the 28th person to receive the maximum punishment by the tribunal for 1971 war crimes.

Charges	Sentence
Mass murder, loot and arson at two villages in Shariyatpur's Palang;	Death by majority
Mass murder, vandalism, looting, arson at three villages of Shariatpur's Palang; torture and murder of several people at the camp set up the Hawlader Jute Mill;	Death by majority
Ransacking the house of Madaripur Awami League leader Shilendra Krishna Paul; killing of the four guards after torturing them;	Unanimous sentence of prison until death
Planning and executing attacks, murder, rape of Hindus in Madaripur, which forced them to leave the country;	Unanimous sentence of seven-year prison term

Idris Ali Sardar

Idris Ali hails from Pashchim Kashabhog village at Palang Thana of Shariatpur Sadar Upazila’s Chitlia Union. He completed his school-leaving exams in 1966 from the local Rudrakar Ninmuni High School.

He was a leader of the Islami Chhatra Shango, then student front of Jamaat-e-Islami, during the 60s, according to the prosecution.

He joined the ‘Razakar Bahini’ when the war broke out and committed various war crimes. He was involved with Jamaat politics after the war ended.

Solaiman Molla

Born in 1931, Solaiman hails Kashimpur village at Palang Thana of Shariatpur Sadar Upazila’s Chitlia Union.

He joined the Muslim League in 1963 and became the party’s organising secretary at Palang Thana, according to the chargesheet.

He later joined the Jamiatul Ulamaye Islame and was defeated in the provincial council polls of 1970.

He had been charged with forming a Peace Committee and a Razakar force unit in his area to assist the Pakistan Army in violently suppress the freedom struggle by committing crimes against humanity.

Timeline of the trial

May 11, 2011

Abdus Samad, an injured freedom fighter from Shariatpur, filed the case against three, including Idris Ali and Solaiman Molla.

Dec 22, 2015

Tribunal takes into its cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the ICT's investigating arm against the two.

May 2, 2016

ICT indicts Idris Ali and Solaiman Molla on four counts of mass murder, abduction, torture, loot, arson and forced deportation of Hindus.

Oct 25, 2016

Solaiman Molla dies while being treated at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital's prison cell. The charges against him were dropped later.

Nov 2, 2016

The tribunal keeps its verdict pending after the trial finishes with closing arguments by the prosecution and the defence.