Azharul to die for war crimes

International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Tuesday awarded death penalty to Jamaat-e-Islami leader, ATM Azharul Islam for committing genocide and mass killings in Rangpur during the country’s independence war in 1971. ‘He be hanged by the neck…. till his death’ the tribunal chairman justice, M Enayetur Rahim pronounced the verdict in a packed court room. The tribunal found Azhar, 61, guilty of five charges among the six counts of crimes against humanity brought against him at places of Rangpur during the war. Azhar was given death sentenced for charges ‘for committing murders and arson attack at Mokshedpur in Dhap-para on April 16 in 1971, for committing mass killings at Jharuarbil and killing about 1,400 unarmed civilians on April 17 and for committing genocide by killing four Hindu teachers of Carmichael College and wife of one of them.

He also sentenced to suffer 25 years rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in raping at Rangpur town hall during the nine months of liberation war and five years rigorous imprisonment for torturing Shawkat Hossain and Rafiqul Hasan. Azharul was taken to the tribunal at around 9:00am. It was the 15th verdict in as many 1971 war crimes cases tried while for the ICT-1, it was the seventh judgement. Security was tightened in and around the old High Court building where the ICT-1 is housed. The law men have been put on alert to thwart any violence centering the verdict of the war crimes convict Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam. Earlier, the tribunal on September 18 had completed the war crimes trial of Azhar and kept the verdict CAV, (the abbreviation of curia advisari vult) a Latin legal term, means the court keeps the verdict waiting. Azhar, 61, was tried on six counts of crimes against humanity that he committed at different places at Rangpur during the Liberation War in 1971. 19 prosecution witnesses and one defence witnesses were testified, during the trial. Meanwhile, Ganajagaran Mancha at Shahbag and Bangladesh Muktijodha Sangsad central command at the tribunal area expressed their satisfaction and held rejoicing rallies after the announcement of the verdict.

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