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Govt set to file 1971 probe report linked to Jamaat leaders
In a move that may kickstart the controversial 'war crimes' trial, a Bangladeshi court today ordered the authorities to submit a key probe report in which top leaders of the Islamist party Jamaat have been accused of killing freedom fighters during 1971 'Liberation War'.
In a move that may kickstart the controversial 'war crimes' trial, a Bangladeshi court on Sunday ordered the authorities to submit a key probe report in which top leaders of the Islamist party Jamaat have been accused of killing freedom fighters during 1971 'Liberation War'.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Taiyabul Hasan directed the Keraniganj police to submit the probe report by August 2 in a case filed against Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) top leaders Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and 11 others for killing two freedom fighters in 1971, the Star online said on Sunday.
Top Jamaat leaders, including Nizami, Ahsan Mujahid Delwar Hossain Sayeedi are in custody after a court last week issued arrest warrants against them as they failed to appear before it to answer charges that they had hurt sentiments of Muslims.
Hasan today passed the order as police had failed to submit the report as per the earlier court direction. Nizami was produced before the court on Sunday.
Mozaffar Ahmad Khan, Dhaka district unit Muktijoddha commander, filed the murder case against Nizami, Mojahid and seven others for killing two freedom fighters -- Osman Gani and Golam Mostafa alias Tukub Ali -- on November 25 in 1971, the report said.
Nizami and Mojahid led the so-called Al-Badr forces that is widely believed to have been involved in genocide, rape and murder of frontline intellectuals in an effort to cripple the country in 1971.
The government has said the three detained Jamaat leaders could be indicted in the war crime charges, as the country's biggest Islamic party launched a nationwide agitation to demand their release.
"The three could be shown arrested" if the Special Tribunal for war crimes wanted to try them for crimes against humanity during the country's 'Liberation War against Pakistan, Home Minister Shamsul Haque Tuku told a function late last night.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has vowed to bring to justice the 1971 war criminals, has accused the main opposition party of backing them as BNP supremo and former prime minister Khaleda Zia extended cautious support to the Jaamat leaders by calling for their release.
The ruling Awami League government has earlier hinted that it will soon expose several high-profile Jamaat leaders linked to the 1971 'genocide'.
On March 25, the government set up a three-member special tribunal for the trial of "war criminals" accused of genocide and those who sided with the Pakistani military during the 'Liberation War'.
According to official figures, Pakistani troops, aided by local collaborators, killed an estimated 3 million people, raped about 200,000 women and forced millions more to leave their homes during the bloody nine-month guerrilla war.
