The Dhaka Times Desk The International Tribunal has sentenced Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid to death in the case of committing crimes against humanity during the liberation war in 1971.
In the judgment against Mujahid, the court said that out of the seven charges raised against him, five were proved and the court sentenced him to death in three, life in one and imprisonment in one.
The War Crimes Tribunal-2 gave this sentence in a verdict today. On June 5, the tribunal is awaiting the verdict after the trial of the case. 7 charges of crimes against humanity including killing of intellectuals against Mujahid.
Today's verdict is the fourth verdict of War Crimes Tribunal-II headed by Justice Obaidul Hasan and composed of Justice Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Shahinur Islam.
The order to kidnap martyred journalist Sirajuddin Hossain has been proved. Allegation No. 2 is true but not proved. Charge No. 3 has liability. Allegation No. 4 was not proved. Allegations No. 5, 6 and 7 are proved.
Since the formation of the War Crimes Tribunal on 25 March 2010 to try crimes against humanity, five verdicts have been announced so far. Jamaat-e-Islami expelled fugitive Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar, Naib Ameer Delawar Hossain Saeedi and Assistant Secretary General Mohammad Kamaruzzaman have been sentenced to death in the verdict. And Jamaat's former Amir Professor Ghulam Azam has been sentenced to 90 years and Assistant Secretary General Quader Mollah has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Currently, five more people are on trial in two tribunals.
All the complaints against Mujahid
A total of seven charges have been brought against Mujahid in the tribunal. The allegations include the killing of intellectuals including the martyred journalist Siraj Uddin Hossain, killing of common people, genocide, arson, looting and forced to leave the country. It has been alleged that Mujahid, individually and in a group, directly involved and led, or through cooperation and direction, committed these incidents. The complaints are highlighted below:-
Allegation-1: It is stated in this allegation that Siraj Uddin Hossain, Executive Secretary of Ittefaq was kidnapped from Chamelibagh on December 10, 1971. 7-8 youths under the guidance and control of Mujahid caught him and took him in a minibus. So far no trace of him has been found. By this, Mujahid committed the offense described in Sections 3(2) (a) (g), 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973. He has also committed an offense punishable under Section 20 of that Act.
At that time, martyred journalist Siraj Uddin Hossain was working as the executive editor of Daily Ittefaq. In September of that year, he wrote an article titled 'Thug Bachite Ga Ujaar' in his newspaper as a commentator, portraying the harassment of the innocent unarmed people of Bangladesh by the local agents of the Pakistani army. After the publication of that article, Jamaat's mouthpiece Dainik Sangram Patrika published a counter article on September 16 under the title 'Atab Thak Bachio Na'. The article criticized Siraj Uddin Hussain as 'India's broker'. On December 10, 1971, journalist Siraj Uddin Hossain was abducted by 7-8 youths armed with rifles at his rented house at 5 Chamelibagh at around 3 am. His body has not been found yet.
Allegation-2: The second allegation states that on one day in May 1971, under the leadership of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Pakistani soldiers and Razakars burnt about 300 to 350 houses of Hindus in various villages in Charbhadrasan police station of Faridpur district. Later, firing indiscriminately killed 50 to 60 Hindu Narnaris. He committed the offense under Sections 3 (2) (a) (c) (g) and 4 (1) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973.
Allegation-3 : The third allegation states that on one day in the first week of June 1771, Rajakars arrested Ranjit Nath alias Babu Nath, son of the deceased Ramesh Chandra Nath of Gowalchamot (Rathkhola) of Kotwali police station of Faridpur district from in front of Khabaspur mosque in Faridpur city. Babu Nath was produced before the accused Ali Ahsan Mujahid in front of the Pakistani army officer Major Akram Quraishi at the old circuit house in Faridpur around 11:00 am. After Mujahid spoke to the Major, Babu Nath was subjected to inhuman torture. One of his teeth was broken. After the torture, the Razakars took Abdur Rashid to his house on the northern side of the Bihari camp and kept him at the behest of Mujahid. Later that night, Ranjit Nath Babu escaped from the house by bending the window of his detention room and saved his life.
Allegation-4: In the fourth allegation, it is said that on the morning of July 26, 1971, local Razakars from Alfadanga of Faridpur district. Abu Yusuf alias Pakhi, father - deceased. Zainal Abedin, Village East Gowalchamot Khodaboxpur, Thana- Kotwali, District- Faridpur was arrested on suspicion of being a freedom fighter. Pakhi was then taken to the army camp at Faridpur Stadium and detained. Seeing Abu Yusuf Pakhi among the detained prisoners, Mujahid said something to the Pakistani major who was with him, and the level of torture on him increased. He was detained there for 1 month and 3 days and subjected to inhuman torture and sent to Jessore Cantonment. As a result of the torture, Abu Yusuf bird's chest and back bones were broken.
Allegation-5: The fifth allegation states that on August 30, 1971, at 8 pm, East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangh Secretary Asami Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid along with Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangh President Matiur Rahman Nizami went to the army camp of the old MP Hostel in Nakhalpara, Dhaka. There they saw the detained composers Altaf Mahmood, Zaheeruddin Jalal, Badi, Rumi, Jewel and Azad and abused them and told the Pakistani captain that they should be killed before the President orders an amnesty. Accused Mujahid with the help of others committed crimes against humanity by killing innocent and unarmed prisoners except one of them after inhumane torture and disappearing the bodies.
Allegation-6: According to the sixth allegation, after March 27, 1971, the occupying Pakistan Army established a camp at the Mohammadpur Physical Training Institute in Dhaka. Later, after Razakar and Albadar forces were established, they also camped at that place and took training and carried out various criminal activities. Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid used to travel regularly to the army camp on account of being the secretary of the then Islami Chhatra Sangh. As the superior leader of the Chhatra Sangh and Albadar Bahini, he used to consult and conspire with the senior army officer present in the army camp to commit various anti-independence crimes. Through such advice and conspiracy, the accused Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid committed all kinds of anti-human crimes, genocide including murder, torture, deportation, etc., along with the allied forces of the occupying Pakistan Army, including the intellectual extermination campaign conducted from December 10.
Allegation-7: Seventh allegation states that on May 13, 1971, under the orders of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, the Razakar army attacked the Hindu community in Bakchar village of Kotwali police station in Faridpur. This decision was taken after the peace committee meeting. Birendra Saha, Upen Saha, Jagabandhu Mistry, Satya Ranjan Das, Niradbandhu Mitra, Prafulsan Mitra, Upen Saha were arrested after raiding the Hindu dominated area of Bakchar village. Upen Saha's wife asks for her husband's release by giving the Rajakars gold and money. The Rajakars raped Sunil Kumar Saha's daughter Jhuma Rani. Later they killed the arrested Hindu citizens. Their houses were set on fire. Anil Saha was forced to leave the country.
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