The International Crimes Tribunal-1 will deliver verdict any day in the case against two Kishoreganj men who allegedly committed crimes against the humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque with members Justice Md Shahinur Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi kept the case waiting for verdict after the prosecution and the defence counsel completed their closing arguments yesterday.
The accused are Syed Mohammad Hussain alias Hossain, 64, younger brother of convicted war criminal Syed Hasan Ali; and Muhammad Moslem Pradhan, 66. They face six charges. Of them, Moslem is in jail and pleaded not guilty while Hussain absconding.
Wrapping up her arguments and rebuttal of defence arguments, Prosecutor Tureen Afroz prayed for capital punishment for the accused saying that the prosecution has been able to prove all six charges.
Defence counsel Abdus Sattar Palwan, however, said the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses are “not credible” and the prosecution has utterly failed to prove the charges. He prayed for acquittal of his clients.
Moslem of Kamarhati village in Nikli upazila was arrested on July 7, 2015, following the tribunal's arrest order for the duo. Hussain left for Malaysia on May 21, 2014 and the investigations began on November 13 that year, according to the tribunal's investigation agency.
Hussain was originally from Machihata village (Pir Bari) in Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila but had been living with his family in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila since 1936 as his father worked there, according to the investigators.
His father, Syed Musleh Uddin, was vice president of the then East Pakistan unit of Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman of the Peace Committee in Kishoreganj sub-division in 1971, investigators said. Both PDP and Peace Committee worked against Bangladesh's liberation.
Hussain was the commander of the Razakar Bahini in Nikli upazila and known as “Razakarer Daroga”, while his brother commanded the Razakars in Tarail upazila in 1971. Moslem was a Razakar member and Hussain's associate, according to the prosecution.
The tribunal on May 9 last year framed charges against the duo and the prosecution produced 23 witnesses to prove the charges while the defence produced one witness.