ICT censures Zia, Ershad

The International Crimes Tribunal has censured former presidents, the late Ziaur Rahman, and HM Ershad for rehabilitating Al Badr leaders, who masterminded the killings of intellectuals during the 1971 Liberation War, in Bangladesh after independence.

The tribunal found these two military dictators turned presidents guilty of not only bringing these war criminals back home, but also giving then security.

The second ICT on Sunday ordered the authorities to send the Al Badr leader Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin to walk the gallows for killing 18 intellectuals during 1971.

His associate Ashrafuzzaman Khan was also sentenced to death for the same offence.

Mueen-Uddin, currently a UK citizen, fled the country after Bangladesh won the Liberation War. He had returned to Bangladesh during the tenures of Ziaur Rahman and Ershad as the country’s presidents. His trial for war crimes was held in absentia.

In its judgment, the tribunal observed that it was a matter of shame for the nation that Zia and Ershad had allowed these two men to visit their homes in police protection.

“What a shame, what a shame! Undoubtedly it had shaken and undermined the nation, intensifying the pain and sufferings of the families of victims of repression (war crimes),” said the tribunal.

“He was honoured by state machinery instead of making him face trial.”

Mueen-Uddin’s neighbour Shariat Ullah testified against him at the tribunal. He recollected that Mueen-Uddin had visited his village home at Feni’s Dagonbhuyian twice during the tenures of Zia and Ershad. Police had guarded them during their visits, he added.

Shariat’s deposition recalled the resistance from freedom fighters Mueen-Uddin had faced during his home visit on the occasion of an Eid.

The tribunal’s verdict also referred to a police report that mentioned that Mueen-Uddin had travelled to his village home in a Pakistan embassy vehicle.

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