2 Kishoreganj Razakars get death

Two Razakars from Kishoreganj were sentenced to death for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.

The condemned war criminals are -- Syed Mohammad Hussain alias Hossain, 64, and Muhammad Moslem Pradhan, 66.

Moslem is in jail while Hussain is on the run.

Hussain, younger brother of convicted war criminal Syed Hasan Ali, was sentenced to death over two charges while Moslem in one charge.

All the six charges against them were proved in the case. Their death sentences can be executed either by “hanging or shooting” as decided by the government, the court said today.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Anwarul Haque delivered the verdict today 41 days after the prosecution and the defence completed the closing arguments and the tribunal kept the case waiting for delivering verdict.

All 6 charges proved

Total six charges were brought and all the charges were proved against the two war criminals. Of the six charges, Syed Hussain faced all six charges while Moslem faced 2 charges. Tribunal gave death penalty to Hussain for two charges, jail until death for one charge, seven years for one charge, five years for one charge and 10 years for another charge. Moslem was given death for one charge while jail until death for another charge.

Moslem of Kamarhati village in Nikli upazila was arrested on July 7, 2015 after the tribunal issued an arrest warrant for the duo. On the other side, Hussain left for Malaysia on May 21, 2014 and investigation began on November 13 that year, according to the tribunal's investigation agency.

Hussain was the commander of the Razakar force in Nikli upazila of Kishoreganj and was known as “Razakarer Daroga”, while his brother Syed Hassan commanded the Razakars in Tarail upazila.

He was originally from Machihata village (Pir Bari) in Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila but had been living with his family in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila since 1936 as his father worked there, according to the investigators.

His father, Syed Musleh Uddin, was vice-president of the then East Pakistan unit of Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman of the Peace Committee in Kishoreganj sub-division in 1971, the investigators added. Both PDP and Peace Committee worked against Bangladesh's independence.

On the other hand, Moslem was a Razakar member and Hussain's associate, according to the prosecution.

The tribunal on May 9 last year framed charges against the duo and the prosecution produced 23 witnesses to prove the charges. The defence produced one witness.