'Bring back Ashraf, Mueen'

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed promised on Sunday redoubled efforts to bring back Al Badr leaders Ashrafuzzman Khan and Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin to face the death penalty.

He said the Home and Foreign Ministry will swing into action to bring them back and hoped the countries where the two are staying will help.

"We hope the countries where they are staying will cooperate," Ahmed said.

Ashrafuzzaman is staying in the US and Mueen-Uddin is in the UK.

They even gave media interviews to high-profile organisations like Al Jazeera and are involved with many local organisations.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan on Sunday found the two guilty of all the 11 charges levelled against them.

Ahmed was speaking in the light of growing demand to bring back the two Al Badr leaders to walk the gallows after the tribunal ordered them to be hanged for the massacre of the intellectuals in the last days of the Liberation War.

MK Rahman, the prosecution coordinator, said: "Justice won't be ensured unless Ashrafuzzaman and Mueen-Uddin are given the capital punishment.

"In its verdict, the court had said Jamaat-e-Islami is a fascist political party. The two accused were involved with their student wing.

"With these trials, the nation's guilt is somewhat redeemed," he said.

The Sectors Commanders' Forum expressed satisfaction over the verdict.

The forum's Vice President KM Shafiullah demanded its swift execution.

"The sentence must be carried out during the present government's tenure," he said.

Prosecutor Tureen Afroz said the verdict fulfilled her expectations.

"The government should start international lobbying to bring back both convicts who are staying abroad," she said.

"Everything necessary must be done [to bring them back]," said Afroz.

She said the whereabouts of both Ashrafuzzaman and Mueen-Uddin are known and they had given interviews to the media about the trial.

Another war crimes convict Abul Kalam Azad is absconding but his location is not clearly known.

"Notices were published in newspapers during their trials and they were given a chance to defend themselves. The government appointed lawyers for them," Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said.

He said the trial process maintained 'international standards' and were fair.

The Law Minister said there was no chance to question the trials.

Meanwhile, the defence said the verdict was not as expected.

Asked if the verdict would be challenged, state-appointed defence counsel Salma Hye said the matter was not in their hands.

"They (Ashraf and Mueen) are not in the country. We can challenge the verdict only if they come. Or else we cant."

Ashraf, Mueen to hang