Verdict today in Afsar, Mahidur war crimes case

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 is set to deliver verdict today in a case against two “Chapainawabganj Razakars” for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War.

Mahidur Rahman and Afsar Hossain, alleged members of Razakar force of Shibganj upazila in the western district, face three charges including mass killing, torture, arson and looting.

Two charges are related to killing 28 people in separate incidents, while the other was related to looting and arson in two villages. The duo, along with other Razakars and Pakistani army, allegedly committed the crimes between October 10 and November 3 in 1971.

The prosecution prayed for “exemplary punishment” for the duo claiming that they had been able to prove two charges. They did not produce any witness for the third charge.

The defence, however, sought acquittal of their clients saying the prosecution had “failed” to prove the charges. A defence counsel also accused the investigation officer of the case of hiding information about the third charge, for which the duo was convicted earlier and even served lifetime.

If convicted, the accused may face the highest capital punishment.

The tribunal on April 22 kept the case waiting for verdict. Twenty-seven days after completion of the proceedings, the three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan yesterday fixed today for delivering the verdict.

Two other members of the tribunal are Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Shahinur Islam.

Two war crimes tribunals have so far delivered 17 verdicts, while judgement in another case has been pending with the ICT-1.

BACKGROUND AND CHARGES

According to the prosecution, Mahidur, 84, son of late Subedar Ali Biswas of Dadanchak in Shibganj, was involved in the politics of Muslim League prior to 1971 and joined the Peace Committee and Razakar force during the war.

Afsar, 65, son of late Kutub Uddin Morol of Satrosia of Shibganj, had also been an active worker of Muslim League and joined the Peace Committee and Razakar force.

Associated with other Razakars, they had jointly committed atrocities around the localities, the prosecution alleged.

Mahidur and Afsar were arrested in a criminal case on September 16 last year. Later, they were shown arrested in the war crimes case on November 24 and the tribunal framed three charges against them on December 11.

According to the first charge, Mahidur and Afsar, accompanied by hundreds of armed Razakars and Pakistani army, attacked Chandshikari, Chamatol, Kabirajtola and Eradot Biswasertola villages on October 6, 1971 and abducted 39 pro-liberation people in two phases.

The detainees were tortured in confinement for information. Among them, 24 people were eventually shot dead by the accused, the first charge read.

According to the second charge, Mahidur and Afsar, accompanied by armed Razakars, launched a systematic attack on Kabirajtola and Eradot Biswasertola on October 13 and looted and burned down houses of the villages. The atrocities also forced many people to leave the country, the charge said.

According to the third charge, the duo along with 30-35 Razakars on November 2 attacked the houses of Kalumuddin Mondol, Abdur Rashid, Gajal and Ilias Mondol of Sherpur Vandar in Shibganj and picked up and tortured them.

The attackers looted and burned their houses before taking detainees to a Razakar camp set up at Adina Fazlul Haque College. Later, they were taken to the army camp at Shibganj CO office, read the charge.

The detainees were subjected to barbaric torture for whole day and were shot dead at night near a mango orchard of Jagirkot Para the next day.

The prosecution produced 10 witnesses including the investigation officer of the case. But the defence did not produce any.