Syed Hossain, Moslem Pradhan to die for 1971 war crimes

A tribunal has sentenced Syed Md Hossain and Md Moslem Pradhan to death for atrocities, including killings and rape, committed in Kishoreganj during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque delivered its verdict on the six charges levelled by the prosecution.

The court has ordered authorities to carry out the sentences either hanging by the neck or shooting in a firing squad.

Moslem was arrested in 2015 in Kishoreganj, his birthplace. Hossain is absconding.

In its verdict on Wednesday, the court instructed the home minister and the Bangladesh Police chief to initiate measures to arrest Hossain.

Hossain and Moslem have been given the death penalty over the killing of 26 people in Kishoreganj's Gurui village on Sept 6, 1971. The court described it as 'extermination’ of villagers.

Hossain received a second death sentence over the rape of Hindu women and killings of 34 Hindu men in shootings after torture. The court said the rape targeting women of a specific religion is tantamount to genocide

On the charges of killing freedom fighter Abdul Malek, the duo has been sentenced to prison until death.

On the three other charges, Hossain and Moslem have been sentenced to prison for a total of 22 years.

The prosecution said justice was served with the verdicts against Hossain and Moslem.

Prosecutor Turin Afroze said the court's decision to recognise wartime rapes as genocide was an 'extraordinary achievement’.

“This is the first instance, where the mass rape in 1971 has been recognised as genocidal rape and the highest punishment has been handed for it.”

Defence counsel Abdus Sattar Palwan said: “The matter of appeal will be decided after discussing it with the client."

According to the law, war crimes convicts can appeal against the tribunal's decision within a month of the verdict.

Fugitive convict Hossain, however, has to surrender to challenge the verdict in the Appellate Division.

Hossain's brother Syed Md Hasan alias Hasen Ali has been also sentenced to death for war crimes. He too is absconding.

The International Crimes Tribunal set up for trials of 1971 war criminals have so far convicted 48 persons, of whom 30 received the death sentence.

Md Moslem Pradhan

Md Moslem Pradhan, 67, was born in 1948 in Kamarhati village in Kishoreganj. During the Liberation War, Moslem allegedly acted as a commander of a killing squad. Later, he was involved in politics as a member of the BNP.

Syed Md Hossain

Syed Md Hossain, 64, was born in 1951. He was a member of the Bangladesh Chhatra League prior to the outbreak of the war and joined the Pakistan Democratic Party during Bangladesh’s struggle for freedom.