The International Crimes Tribunal has started to deliver the verdict on fugitive Moulvi Idris Ali Sardar from Shariatpur for 1971 war crimes.
Published : 05 Dec 2016, 10:48 AM
Solaiman Molla aka Solaiman Moulvi, the other person arrested in the case, died during treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Oct 25.
Idris has been charged on four counts of mass murder, abduction, torture, loot, arson and forced deportation of Hindus in Shariatpur and Madaripur during Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque began the proceedings at 10:50am on Monday.
In his opening speech ICT chairman Justice Haque said that the verdict has been arrived at by majority.
Justice Shahinur Islam then started to read out the summary of the 486-page verdict. Justice Haque will announce the sentences.
The trial concluded on Nov 2 with closing arguments by the prosecution and the defence after the tribunal indicted them in May this year.
Thirteen witnesses have testified for the prosecution conducted by lawyers Zead Al Malum, Rishikesh Shaha and Rezia Sultana Chaman.
The State appointed Gazi MH Tamim to argue for fugitive Idris.
Idris Ali Sardar
Idris Ali hails from Pashchim Kashabhog village at Palang Thana of Shariatpur Sadar Upazila’s Chitlia Union. He completed his school-leaving exams in 1966 from the local Rudrakar Ninmuni High School.
He was a leader of the Islami Chhatra Shango, then student front of Jamaat-e-Islami, during the 60s, according to the prosecution.
He joined the ‘Razakar Bahini’ when the war broke out and committed various war crimes. He was involved with Jamaat politics after the war ended.
Solaiman Molla
Born in 1931, Solaiman hails Kashimpur village at Palang Thana of Shariatpur Sadar Upazila’s Chitlia Union.
He joined the Muslim League in 1963 and became the party’s organising secretary at Palang Thana, according to the chargesheet.
He later joined the Jamiatul Ulamaye Islame and was defeated in the provincial council polls of 1970.
Abdus Samad, an injured freedom fighter from Shariatpur, filed the case against three, including Idris Ali and Solaiman Molla on May 11, 2010.
The case was later transferred to the tribunal in Dhaka.
The ICT's investigation arm pressed charges on Idris and Solaiman and the tribunal took the charges into cognisance on Dec 22 last year, indicting them on May this year.