Charges pressed against ex-MP Shakhawat

Five charges were pressed today against former BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Shakhawat Hossain and 11 others for their alleged role in war crimes.

Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman submitted the charges to the International Crimes Tribunal via its registrar office this morning.

The ICT-1 fixed September 8 to decide whether it will accept the charges against Shakhawat and others for their alleged role in crimes against humanity committed in Jessore during 1971.

On June 15, investigators said that they had found “evidence” against former BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Shakhawat Hossain and 11 others of their “involvement” in crimes against humanity.

They were “involved” in killing two persons, raping one and torturing two others in Keshabpur of Jessore. All the incidents took place in Bangla month of Ashwin (between mid-September and mid-October) in 1971, according to the investigators.

Shakhawat, 61, now involved in Jatiya Party politics, was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, student body of Jamaat-e-Islami in 1971.

According to the investigation agency, Shakhawat was the commander of Pakistani army's auxiliary Razakar force at Chingri Bazar camp.

Law enforcers arrested Shakhawat at his Uttar Khan's house on November 29 last year. Three of the 11 other war crimes suspects were also arrested on May 12, while the rest are at large.

The three arrestees are Billal Hossain Biswas, 75, of Nehalpur village, Akram Hossain, 59, of Bhalukghar Mollapara and Ajihar Morol, 64, of Chingra village.

The other suspects are: Ibrahim Hossain of Nehalpur, Sheikh Md Mujibur Rahman and Kazi Ohidul Islam of Shekhpura, Aziz Sardar of Mominpur, Aziz Sardar of Boga, Lutfar Morol of Porchakra, Abdul Khaleq Morol of Altapol and Moshiar Rahman of Chingra.