War crimes: Verdict of 2 Netrakona ‘Razakars’ anytime

A special tribunal in Dhaka will deliver its verdict any day in a war crime case against two alleged Razakars of Netrakona as the trial proceedings concluded today.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Anwarul Haque kept the case waiting for verdict after hearing the closing arguments placed by the prosecution and defence.

The two alleged Razakars are Obaidul Haque alias Taher and Ataur Rahman Noni.

During today’s hearing, prosecution sought their capital punishment while the defence counsel prayed for their acquittal.

On March 2 last year the ICT-1 framed six charges against the two for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the country’s Liberation War.

According to the prosecution, the two were involved in the abduction and killing of at least 15 persons and looting and setting fire to between 400 and 450 houses in 1971.

The duo led Razakars, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation army, in the abduction of one Fazlur Rahman Talukder from Baushi Bazar on August 17, 1971. They later killed him in Trimohoni Bazar, the prosecution said.