Govt appeals to SC seeking death for Abdul Jabbar

The government yesterday filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, seeking death penalty for Abdul Jabbar for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on February 24 sentenced the fugitive Jatiya Party leader to imprisonment until his death considering his old age.

Assistant Attorney General Bashir Ahmed told The Daily Star that 10 reasons have been cited in the appeal for which the Appellate Division of the SC may consider for sentencing Jabbar to death.

Meanwhile, the investigation agency yesterday handed over to the prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal a probe report on eight Jamalpur “Al-Badr men” who were allegedly involved in crimes against humanity.

Matiur Rahman, the investigation officer of the case, gave the probe report, statements of witnesses and other documents to the Chief Prosecutor Ghulam Arieff Tipoo in his office.

The suspects are Ashraf Hossain, 64, Prof Sharif Ahmed, 71, Abdul Mannan, 66, Abdul Bari, 62, Mohammad Harun, 58, Abdul Hashem, 65, Shamsul Haque aliast Badr Bhai, 75, and SM Yousuf Ali, 83.

Scrutinising the documents, the prosecution will file formal charge(s) against the suspects if the findings are satisfactory. Of the eight, two are now in jail while the rest are on the run.