A tribunal has handed death sentences to four people over war crimes that took place at Bhandaria upazila in Pirojpur district during the Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971.
The three-member bench of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), led by Justice Shahinur Islam, pronounced the verdict on Thursday.
The convicts are Abdul Mannan Howladar, 75, from Bhandaria upazila in Pirojpur district, Ashrab Ali, 67, Moharaj Howladar, 68, and Nurul Amin Howladar. Three of them were present at the court during the pronouncement of the verdict, while Nurul Amin Howladar was on the run.
The three judges of the ICT read out the summary of the 228-page judgment, with tribunal chairman Justice Md Shahinur Islam read out the sentencing portion. “They be hanged by the neck till they are dead, under section 20(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973,” the judgment said.
The convicts were accused of four counts of crimes, including rape and killings, aided by the Pakistani occupation forces during the Liberation War. The court handed the highest punishment to them after all allegations were proven.
Prosecutor Sahidur Rahman and Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman represented the state, while lawyer Gazi MH Tamim was the defence counsel.
Initially there were seven accused in the case. Among them, three died during the trial. After completing the investigation in this case, the investigation agency submitted the report on November in 2018.
On April 12 in 2016, the investigation agency of the tribunal started the investigation of the case.
Tribunal officer Badrul Alam started the investigation. After that, the investigation of this case ended on November 6. After the investigation, 33 people were made witnesses in this case. Four charges of illegal detention, torture, kidnapping, looting, arson, rape, murder and genocide were brought against the criminals.
