The Dhaka Times Desk The court sentenced fugitive Jamaat leaders Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mainuddin who led the 'Badar Bahini' to death. The court announced this verdict on Sunday.
The Tribunal-2 headed by Justice Obaidul Hasan announced the judgment of the case in the crowded court on Sunday and said that the involvement of the two defendants has been proved in all the 11 charges of crimes against humanity. The judge ordered his death sentence to be carried out by 'hanging for life'.
Tribunal-2 headed by Justice Obaidul Hasan announced the verdict of this case on Sunday. The formality of the judgment started with the opening speech of Justice Obaidul Hasan at 11 am. Justice Shahinur Islam then read the first part of the 41-page summary of the 154-page judgment. The second part was read by another judge of the tribunal. Mujibur Rahman Mia. Then Tribunal Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan announced the sentence.
At the height of the victory in the liberation war in 1971, the verdict of the fugitive Jamaat leader Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mainuddin, who were the leaders of the 'Badar Army' at that time, was announced. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Obaidul Hasan, chairman of the International Criminal Tribunal-II, announced the verdict.
Chairman of Tribunal-2 Justice Obaidul Hasan informed the journalists present in the courtroom about the verdict on Sunday last Thursday. In this case, the day of judgment was fixed after about 31 days after the end of the trial. Earlier, the tribunal kept the case pending judgment (CAV) on September 30, stating that the verdict would be announced any day after presenting the arguments of both sides. Prosecutor Shahidur Rahman presented arguments in the case on behalf of the prosecution, while Abdus Shukur Khan and Salma Hai Tuni, two lawyers appointed at the expense of the state, handled the case in the absence of the accused. Salma Hai Tuni, a lawyer for the defendants, told reporters last Thursday that she hopes her client will be acquitted.
These two men are accused of leading the killing of intellectuals between December 11 and 15 just before independence in 1971 as a blueprint to demoralize the Bengali nation. In the absence of Chowdhury Mainuddin and Ashrafuzzaman, on June 24 of this year, the tribunal ordered the trial to begin in 11 separate cases of crimes against humanity. Ashrafuzzaman's village house is in Bejara Bhatra (Chilerpar) village of Muksudpur, Gopalganj. And Chowdhury Mainuddin's house is in Chanpur, Daganbhuan, Feni. Currently, Ashrafuzzaman is absconding in the United States and Chowdhury Mainuddin is absconding in the United Kingdom.
A total of 25 witnesses testified for the prosecution, including two investigating officers in the case. Testimony began on July 15. It concluded on September 30 with arguments. However, as the accused were absconding, no clear witness was found.
It should be noted that on April 28, Prosecutor Mokhlesur Rahman Badal filed a formal complaint against Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mainuddin. It is said that Ashrafuzzaman Khan was the 'Chief Executor' of the Albadar Army who was 'responsible' for killing intellectuals between 11 and 15 December just before independence in 1971 in a blueprint to demoralize the Bengali nation. And Chowdhury Mainuddin was the 'operation in charge' of that plan. At that time, they abducted 18 intellectuals including 9 teachers, 6 journalists and 3 doctors of Dhaka University and killed them through torture, the prosecution alleged. Both of them were the leaders of Islami Chhatra Sangh, then an affiliate of Jamaat-e-Islami.
On May 2 of this year, Tribunal-2 issued an arrest warrant against Ashrafuzzaman and Chowdhury Mainuddin. The tribunal's registrar was asked to publish the notice in two national dailies after the prosecution informed them that they could not be found at the possible address. Ashrafuzzaman and Chowdhury Mainuddin were ordered to appear in court within 10 days of publication of the circular. As they did not appear before the court within the stipulated time, the tribunal ordered the proceedings to continue in their absence. At the same time, two lawyers were appointed at the expense of the state to handle the case in their school.
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