5 Patuakhali war crimes suspects shown arrested

Five war crimes suspects of Patuakhali were shown arrested in a war crimes case when prison authorities produced them before a tribunal in Dhaka today.  

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Anwarul Haque passed the order after accepting a petition filed by the prosecution to show them arrested in the case.

The three-member panel asked the prosecution to submit a progress report on its investigation on December 1.

The suspects are: Esahaq Shikder of Gilabunai, Abdul Goni Hawlader and Md Awal alias Awal Moulavi of Galachipa, Abdus Sattar Pyada and Solaiman Mridha of Ballav village under Patuakhali Sadar Upazila.

After the prosecution filed the petition on September 23, ICT-1 directed the jail authorities to produce the five war crime suspects from Patuakhali before it today (October 1).

According to the prosecution, investigation against the five started on February 18 this year and the investigation officer has already found evidence about their involvement in the wartime offences, including genocide and rape.

The five have been in jail since September 7 in connection with another criminal case. But they need to be shown arrested in the war crime case because they might flee after securing bail in the criminal case, prosecution said in the petition.

Earlier, Satya Ranjan Roy, the investigation officer of the case, said Esahaq was member of local Peace Committee, an anti-liberation organisation, while the rest four were members of local Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force of Pakistani army, during the Liberation War in 1971.