3 awarded death penalty, one 20-yr jail for war crimes

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Tuesday sentenced three war criminals to death and one another to 20-year jail for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 liberation war in Sudharampur upazila of Noakhali district.

The three condemned convicts are - Amir Ahmed alias Amir Ali, Abul Kalam alias AKM Mansur, Md Joynul Abedin. Abdul Kuddus was sentenced to 20-year jail.

Of them, Abul Kalam alias AKM Mansur has been on the run.

A three-member ICT bench led by justice Md Shahinur Islam pronounced the verdict, said prosecutor Jahid Imam.

Earlier on 6 February, the tribunal concluded the hearing of arguments from both sides on the trial of four men for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity conducted during the liberation war in 1971 in Noakhali's Sudharampur upazila and kept the verdict pending for any day.

The prosecution pressed charges against five people, including the four in the war crimes case. As another accused of the case, M Yusuf, died after the pressing of the charges, the deceased was not indicted.

On 20 June 2016, the tribunal framed three specific charges against four people for their alleged involvement in crimes.

The investigators started the probe against the five suspected war criminals on 16 November 2014 and submitted a report before the prosecution on 31 August, 2015.

Three charges include killing of over 100 people, including 41 of Sonapur and Sreepur villages, in Sudarampur upazila on 15 June 1971.