Ishak Shikdar, 4 others sentenced to death for crimes against humanity

Ishak Shikdar and four other men from Patuakhali district have been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during liberation war in 1971.

The condemned convicts are Ishak Shikdar, Solaiman Mridha, Abdus Sattar Pada, Abdul Goni Hawladar and Abdul Awal alias Moulvi Awal, who are residents of different villages in sadar upazila of the district.

All the five convicts are now staying in jail.

A three-member International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) headed by justice Md Shahinur Islam handed down the verdict on Monday morning. The other two members of the tribunal are justice Amir Hossain and justice Abu Ahmed Jamadar.

The charges of murder and rape against the five war crimes accused were proved by the tribunal.

Earlier on Sunday, the tribunal fixed Monday for delivering the verdict.

On 30 May, the ICT kept the verdict pending after concluding the law point arguments from both sides in the case.

On 19 November, the tribunal took into cognisance the charges against them for their alleged involvement in the crimes against humanity in Patuakhali district during the war of independence in 1971.

On 6 September, 2015, police arrested the five war crimes accused from different parts of sadar upazila in Patuakhali district on charges of looting, killing, torturing and arson attack during the liberation war.

On 8 Mar, 2017, charges were framed against them for violating 15 biranganas, torturing 17 women and vandalising 15 houses.