Eight jailed for war crimes in Mymensingh
The International Crimes Tribunal acquits an accused for the first time since its formation to try crimes against humanity
The International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced three people to imprisonment until death and five to 20 years in prison for committing crimes against humanity during the country's Liberation War.
The convicts – hailing from Gafargaon and Bhaluka in Mymensingh – faced charges of carrying out atrocities across the district in 1971.
Meanwhile, the three-member tribunal headed by its chairman Justice Md Shahinur Islam acquitted an accused in the case.
Abdul Latif is the first defendant to be acquitted by the tribunal which has so far handed out punishment to 114 people in 42 cases since its formation to try
crimes against humanity.
The three convicts who faced imprisonment until death are Samsuzzaman alias Abul Kalam, AFM Faizullah (fugitive), and Abdur RazzakMandal (fugitive).
Khalilur Rahman, Md Abdullah, Raichh Uddin Azadi alias Akkel Ali, Alim Uddin Khan (fugitive) and Sirajul Islam Tota were sentenced to 20 years in jail.
According to the case, during the War of Liberation in 1971, the convicts had joined hands with the Pakistani army to commit abductions, detentions, torture, and killings in different villages of Mymensingh.
After an introductory speech by the tribunal chairman, Justice Abu Ahmed Jamadar read out the summary of the 222-page verdict.
The second part of the verdict was read by Justice Amir Hossain.
In the end, Justice Md Shahinur Islam handed out the sentence.
Prosecutors Sultan Mahmud Simon, Zahid Imam, Taposh Kanti Baul, and Rezia Sultana Chaman conducted the case on behalf of the prosecution at the tribunal.
The accused were represented by lawyer Abdus Sattar Paloyan.