A tribunal in Dhaka today asked the prosecution to submit on July 26 the formal charges against former BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Shakhawat Hossain and 11 others for their alleged wartime offences.

Today was the date for submitting the formal charges but prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman told the tribunal that they received the probe report and other related documents on June 18.

So, they need more time to prepare the charges, the prosecutor said.

Following her prayer, the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by its Chairman Justice M Enayetur Rahim set the new date for submitting the formal charges.

The investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal handed over the probe report to the prosecution on June 18 on Shakhawat Hossain and 11 war crimes accused of Jessore.

Earlier on June 14, investigators said they have found "evidence" against the 12 of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of 1971 against the accused.

They were said to be involved in killing two persons, raping one and torturing two others in Keshabpur of Jessore.

All the five incidents took place in Bangla month of Ashwin (between mid-September and mid-October) in 1971.

Among the twelve, four including Shakhawat, 61, now involved in Jatiya Party politics, are in jail. Other three arrestees are Billal Hossain Biswas, 75, of Nehalpur village, Akram Hossain, 59, of Bhalukghar Mollapara and Ajihar Morol, 64, of Chingra village.

War crimes suspects 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 could not be arrested.