Dhaka: Investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal has received complaints of 600 incidents of crimes against humanity committed during the War of Liberation and has been looking deeper into those crimes to collect evidence to punish perpetrators of those crimes according to priority.

Confirming the number of allegations, senior officer of the investigation agency of ICT M Sanaul Haque said, “Around 2900 people are accused in those incidents of crimes for their alleged involvement.”

Chief investigation officer Abdul Hannan Khan and Sanaul Haque were in Hobiganj on Thursday (Jan 17) to investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Syed Kawsar.

Sanaul Haque told Prime News, “A Habiganj resident and war crimes accused Kawsar is a moneyed man and he owns a renowned textile mills. He has been spending a lot of money at home and abroad for lobbying and many sort of illegal activities to remove his name from the accused list and also to hinder the trial process.”

“Kawsar has also remained absconding since the complaint was filed against him over his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War,” added Sanaul.

“But investigation has been on track against him for the last one and a half years and we are visiting Habiganj again to collect more evidence and information against him,” he said.

After return from Habiganj, a decision will be taken regarding Kawsar and some other cases, said the investigator.  

Sanaul also said, “We’ve already prepared relevant documents for submitting investigation report against 12 was crimes accused. Syed Kawsar of Habiganj, Mayor Khokon of Nagarkanda, Faridpur, Jamaat leader Abdus Sobhan, ATM Azharul Islam and Maulana Sakhwat Hossain of Jessore are among them.”

Of the 12 accused, Abdus Sobhan, ATM Azharul have already been arrested following tribunal order for presenting them in the dock. More investigation has been going on against them, he added.

He also said, the investigation agency is sending two cases to the tribunal for trial and accused of those cases are Haji Mobarak of Brahmanbaria and Rustom Ali of Patuakhali. The investigation agency submitted investigation report against Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mainuddin on October 13. More investigations have been going on in those cases and soon report will be submitted for formal charge framing, hoped the investigation officer.

Formal trial procedure could start against the accused in abstention if they fail to respond to the court summons. Ashrafuzzaman and Mainuddin were Chhatra Sangha (Then student wing of Jamaat) in 1971. Currently Ashrafuzzaman is living in America and Chowdhury Mainudding in London.

Talking about 2900 complaints, chief investigation officer Abdul Hannan Khan told Prime News that thoung many names came up during investigation, but many of those people are already dead by this time. After through investigation and meticulous vetting the agency has been investigating those complaints in accordance with their significance and case merit and submitting investigation report to the tribunal for case proceedings.

In the case of Jamaat leader Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar, the tribunal has completed all the trial procedures for his involvement in crimes against humanity and is awaiting verdict. The same tribunal has also completed testimony of witnesses and their cross examinations and is all set to pronounce the verdict against Jamaat leader Abdul Quadir Mollah.

The International Crimes Tribunal in Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee’s case ordered reproduction of arguments against him and after completion of arguments by bothe the sides the court will pronounce verdict in the case.

In the case of former Jamaat aamir Ghulam Azam testimony of defence witness is going on while in cases of BNP leader and lawmaker Salaudding Quader Chowdhurt and Abdul Alim, Jamaat aamir Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and assistant secretary general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman depositions of both defence and prosecution witnesses has been going on.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Golam Arif Tipu told Prime News, “War crimes trial has been going on in the tribunal with transparent and international standard procedures. Both the prosecution and defence councilors have been taking part in the trial of accused under existing law of the land and standard procedures.” He expressed hope that the trial procedure would be completed successfully with help and cooperation from all concerned.

Two tribunals have been holding the trials of war criminals who committed crimes against humanity committed during the War of Liberation in 1971.

For conducting a fair and just  trial of criminals who committed crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War, the International Crimes Tribunal was formed along with an investigation agency and a panel of prosecution lawyers on March 25, 2010. Another tribunal was constituted on March 22, 2012 for expediting trial of the war criminals.

The trial has been going on under International Crimes Law 1973 and its rules. The law has kept appeal procedure in the war crimes trial though in other countries there is no provision for appeal in crimes against humanity by convicted accused.

The Awami League-led grand alliance government is pledge bund to hold trial of the war crimes accused as per its pre-polls pledge. The ninth parliament in its first session, passed a resolution unanimously to hold the trial of war criminals.  

Ends/AMA/19/01/13