Mymensingh war crimes suspect turns himself in to ICT

For the first time in about seven years, a 1971 war crimes suspect has surrendered to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).

Md Abdus Sattar, a 61-year-old accused from Mymensingh turned himself in to ICT on Tuesday, first time since tribunal started its journey in 2010.

He is accused of six charges of war crimes committed during 1971 Liberation War.

He came to the tribunal with his lawyer Mozammel Hoque Bhuiyan on Tuesday and pleaded for bail, but a three-member bench headed by Justice Md Anwarul Huq rejected the plea and sent him to jail.

Prosecutors, Sultan Mahmud Simon and Rozia Sultana Chaman, stood for the state and opposed his plea.

Sattar and seven others including Jatiya Party Presidium member MA Hannan are accused in the war crimes case for murder, genocide and torture.

Advocate Rozia told bdnews24.com that among the accused, Hannan, his son Md Rafiq Sazzad, Dr Khondoker Golam Sabbir Ahmad, Mizanur Rahman Mintu and Md Hormuj Ali are already behind bars.
 

Md Fakhruzzaman and Khondoker Golam Robbani are at large.

Martyred freedom fighter Abdur Rahman’s wife Rahima Khatun started the case on May 19, 2015, in Trishal.

A judicial magistrate’s court in Mymensingh took cognizance of the case deposition and transferred it to the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka.

The tribunal started the inquiry on Jul 28 and issued the arrest warrant against the accused on Oct 10.

Police arrested Hannan, an MP at Mymensingh seat 7, from his Gulshan residence and his son from another house in that area.

Golam Sabbir, Mintu and Hormuj Ali were also arrested.

The probe agency submitted its report to the prosecution on Jul 11 last year.

On Dec 11, the tribunal took cognizance of the charges formally pressed by the prosecution.

The six charges

Charge 1: Abduction of renowned sculptor Abdur Rashid from Mymensingh’s Golkibarhi.  Rashid was tied to the backside of a car and drove through streets until he died. His body was never found. The events took place on Apr 23 and 24.

Charge 2: Arson attacks at Boilor Hindu polli and Munshiparha in Trishal on Aug 2. Killing of ‘Sentu’ and two Hindus.

Charge 3: One Rahman Member was abducted from Boilor, tortured and killed between Aug 7 and Aug 9. His body was never found.

Charge 4: Khondoker Abdul Ali Ratan was abducted, tortured and killed between Nov 17 and Dec 7. His body was never found.

Charge 5: Abduction of Md Abed Hossain Khan. He was tortured and handed to Pakistani occupation forces between Apr 23 and Jul 28.

Charge 6: Abduction of KM Khalid Babu in between Aug 7 and Aug 10. He was tortured.