-- Nov 18 set for starting trial

-- Prosecution asked to provide documents to defence

-- Defence to submit necessary papers before court by this time

-- Crimes committed between Apr 22 and Dec 11, 1971

A tribunal in Dhaka framed five charges against eight Jamalpur "Al-Badr men" for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity committed during the country's Liberation War in 1971.

The charges include murder, abduction, torture, confinement and arson, which were committed between April 22 and December 11, 1971, according to the prosecution.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Anwarul Haque set November 18 for starting trial with recording statements of the prosecution witnesses.

Claiming themselves "innocent", the detainees Adv Shamsul Haque, 75, and SM Yusuf Ali, 83, pleaded not guilty when the ICT-1 read out charges to them.

Shamsul and Yusuf contested the 1970's national election from Jamaat-e-Islami for the posts of member of provincial assembly and member of national assembly respectively.

The other accused -- Ashraf Hossain, 64, Prof Sharif Ahammed, 71, Abdul Mannan, 66, Abdul Bari, 62, Harun, 58, and Abul Hashem, 65, -- are absconding. They were involved in Islami Chhatra Sangho and Al-Badr men, the prosecution said.

The tribunal today asked the prosecution to provide all necessary documents to the defence by November 18 while the defence has been instructed to submit the list of witnesses or documents, if they have any, before the tribunal.