The first war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh has finished hearing the case of Jamaat-e-Islami's chief Motiur Rahman Nizami.
Published : 13 Nov 2013, 11:14 AM
Headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, the International Crimes Tribunal-1, however, kept its verdict pending.
The court ordered the defendant's counsel to submit their closing arguments in writing within the next five days.
The Jamaat leader has been charged with 16 counts of war crimes including rape, murder, abduction during 1971 Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
This would be the 10th verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
Earlier, the tribunal had sentenced eight Jamaat leaders and two BNP leaders in nine cases of war crimes.
The war crimes trial of the Jamaat chief began on May 28, 2012.
Nizami was arrested on July 29, 2010 on charges of hurting the religious sentiments.
On Aug 2 the same year, he was shown arrested for committing crimes against humanity.
On Dec 11, 2012, the prosecution brought specific charges against Nizami and on Dec 28 the court took it into its cognisance.
The charges against him include killing of 70 people and torching 72 houses in Dec, 1971 at Brishalika village in Pabna's Bera Upazila, murdering 450 people in Demra and Baushia villages, killing several people in front of a Hindu temple at Kormocha village of Santhiya Upazila as well as looting, rape and abduction.
Born in 1943 at Mohammadpur village of Pabna's Santhiya Upazila, Nizami was the head of the East-Pakistan unit of Islami Chhatar Shangha, then the student affiliate of Jamaat-e-Islami.
He headed the 'Al Badr' militia till September, 1971 after which he became a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
War crimes convict Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid was then made the chief of Al Badr, responsible for killing of intellectuals in Dec 14, 1971 along with other war crimes.
Nizami played a key role in setting up the Peace Committee and Razakar Force, meant for oppressing pro-liberation Bengalis.
Witnesses' deposition of Nizami's trial started on Aug 26, last year with investigating officer Abdur Razzak Khan's testifying.
The prosecution produced a total of 26 witnesses in the trial.
Meanwhile, the defence counsel produced four witnesses including Nizami's son Md Nazibur Rahman, Advocate KA Hamidur Rahman, Md Shamsul Alam and Abdus Salam Mukul.
ICT heard the prosecution's closing arguments between Nov 3 and 6.
The court had set Nov 7-11 for the defence counsel's argument.
But the defendant's lawyer failed to do so.
On Wednesday, the ICT-1 has ordered the defence counsel to submit their closing arguments in writing within the next five days.