Jabbar indicted for war crimes

Abdul Jabbar

A tribunal in Dhaka today framed five war crimes charges against former Jatiya Party lawmaker Abdul Jabbar for his alleged crimes against humanity committed during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.
Jabbar, who was chairman of Mathbaria Peace Committee in Pirojpur in 1971, has been charged with killing, mass killing, looting and forced conversion committed during the nine-month war.
The fugitive suspected had “played a key role” in the formation of the Razakar Bhahini and had “led the force” in committing crimes in Mathbaria area.
After framing the charges, International Crimes Tribunal-1 set September 7 for starting the trial through hearing opening statements.
Both prosecutor Zahid Imam and defense counsel Mohammd Abul Hasan were present at the court room when the charge was framed against Jabbar.
The prosecution on May 11 submitted formal charges against Jabbar.
According to the investigators, Jabbar along with his accomplices forcefully converted 200 Hindus to Islam at Phuljhuri village in the last week of May 1971.
The probe report also cites Jabbar's involvement in killing two freedom fighters in the village.
Apart from that, Jabbar participated in the killing of one person in Phuljhuri and setting fire to 360 houses, the report said.
He and his cohorts on October 6, 1971 detained 37 people of Angulkata and Mothbaria villages of the upazila. Of them, 22 were later killed and the others injured.
Jabbar's involvement was also found in the killing of 11 people, and looting of and setting fire to 60 houses at Noli village of Pirojpur.
Accused in a case under collaborators' act, he became a fugitive after the liberation till political changeover of August 15, 1975. Jabbar then became active in the politics and was elected lawmaker from Mathbaria in 1986 and 1988 with Jatiya Party ticket.
Family members of the martyrs of 1971, freedom fighters and local people of Mothbaria town raised voice when he was given grand alliance ticket for the 2008 election.
According to the war crimes investigation agency, Jabbar has been on run since 2009.