Bagerhat’s Akram, sentenced to prison until death in 2015, acquitted as Supreme Court overturns verdict

In 2015, the ICT sentenced him to imprisonment until death

The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has acquitted Khan Akram Hossain of Bagerhat, overturning his imprisonment until death in a 1971 war crimes case.

The five-member bench, led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, approved his appeal on Thursday.

Akram had originally been sentenced to life imprisonment on Aug 11, 2015, by the International Crimes Tribunal-1.

The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has acquitted Khan Akram Hossain of Bagerhat, overturning his imprisonment until death in a 1971 war crimes case.

The five-member bench, led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, approved his appeal on Thursday.

On Aug 11, 2015, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 had sentenced Akram to prison until death and co-suspect Razakar leader Sheikh Sirajul Haque, also known as “Siraj Master”, to death for crimes against humanity during the independence struggle.

Akram was convicted for arresting and torturing freedom fighter Fazlur Rahman Sikder in Teligate, Morelganj, leading to his death.

Another suspect Abdul Latif Talukdar, a member of the Razakar, was also indicted with these two but died of age-related illness before the verdict on Jul 27, 2015, and was subsequently removed from the trial.

The tribunal began proceedings against the three suspects on Nov 5, 2014, formally framing charges in the war crimes case.

Following the prosecution’s opening statement on Dec 2 last year, witness testimony commenced and continued until Mar 24 of the following year, during which a total of 32 witnesses, including the case’s investigating officer Helal Uddin, gave statements.

Of the seven charges, six named Sirajul as the suspect, while one involved only Akram and Latif. Two of the charges named all three defendants jointly.