War crimes suspect Abul Kalam Azad, widely known as Bachchu Razakar, fled the country with the help of those who watched over him, alleged the chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday.
“The persons under vigilance can flee the country only with your [law enforcers] assistance. It has been told that he fled away. But he did not. Rather he was sent abroad with proper care,” Prof Mizanur Rahman said at a seminar in the city.
“It is our apprehension that he could not cross the country’s border without someone’s help,” …

US Ambassador in Bangladesh Dan Mozena yesterday said dialogue among the political parties was the way ahead to reach an agreed ground rule for holding free, fair, credible and participatory general election in the country.
“If it has to be a democracy, there must be, I argue, free, fair, credible and participatory election. This is a challenge and the challenge is on the table”, he said, responding to a question at a dialogue.
Group 2009, a pro-BNP a think tank, organised the programme, “US-Bangladesh Relationship: The Sky is the Limit!”, at a …

The defence of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee for the second time walked out of International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday protesting the tribunal’s decision to receive as evidence five volumes of foreign newspaper reports on the Liberation War.
The defence lawyers argued that they did not receive the reports beforehand and appealed for not accepting those as evidence. They also protested against not being given in advance the documents provided by the last prosecution witness.
In response, the three-judge tribunal led by its chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq asked the defence to place …

Expressing much discontent, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday had to adjourn its proceedings for three hours as the prosecution was not ready with its documents in time during the trial of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee.
It also adjourned the proceedings against another Jamaat leader and war crimes accused, Abdul Quader Mollah, as one of the key defence counsels was not present in court.
Both Sayedee and Quader Mollah were produced before the tribunal yesterday. They are among the six Jamaat and two BNP leaders facing charges of crimes against humanity at …

Sayedee’s War Crimes Trial
The last prosecution witness against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee began giving his deposition yesterday at the International Crimes Tribunal-1.
Witness Helal Uddin, the investigation officer who probed Sayedee’s alleged crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War, told the tribunal that he began the probe by going through newspaper articles, websites and other documents.
He also shared some findings of the investigation and presented some documents to the court.
Helal said the investigation revealed that around 60 percent houses in Barisal, Jhalakathi and Pirojpur districts were damaged during …

Govt wants to ensure quick disposal of cases, coordination between 2 tribunals
The government is to amend the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, this week so that the tribunals can transfer each other’s cases for their quick disposal, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said yesterday.
Two international crimes tribunals have been formed so far under this law for disposal of the cases relating to crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
The law minister yesterday told The Daily Star that his ministry would place the amendment proposal before the …

23 war crimes charges framed amid laughter from the BNP leader; trial starts April 29
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday framed 23 specific charges against detained BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury in connection with genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of 1971.
The charges include murdering civilians; collaborating with the Pakistani occupation army to kill and torture unarmed people, looting of valuables and torching of houses and other properties; persecuting people on religious and political grounds; and committing atrocities on the Hindus.
According to the charges, legislator Salauddin …

BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s court theatrics turned out to be the highlight for the audience at the International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday although his indictment was the feature of the day.
The outspoken BNP leader exploded on multiple occasions, insisted that he had placed his applications instead of his defence, and on several occasions exchanged verbal spats with the tribunal chairman.
It began with Salauddin Quader’s defence counsel Fakhrul Islam taking the podium with eight petitions. Six of them were reviews of previous applications that have been rejected by the tribunal.
While the …

Murder, torture, genocide, abduction, confinement, deportation, persecution on religious grounds, looting and arson

[Image: Nutan Chandra Singh]
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday brought 23 charges against BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury in connection with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. Chairman of the tribunal Justice Nizamul Huq yesterday read out the charges in an open court. The charges brought under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973 are published as it is in brief:
Charge No 1
That on 4 or 5 April, 1971 at about 9pm …

War crimes tribunal-2 issues warrant
War crimes suspect Abul Kalam Azad went on the run around seven hours before the International Crimes Tribunal-2 had issued arrest warrant against him.
The former Islami Chhatra Sangha leader left his Uttarkhan home in the capital around 3:30am with his sons Jihad Azad and Faysal Azad, said Sunanda Roy, an assistant commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) of Police, quoting Azad’s daughter Samania Jannati.
“He [Azad] is now at large,” she said at 9:45pm yesterday.
After the order was issued at 10:45am, …

[BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury talks with his relatives before attending The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Wednesday. Photo: STAR]
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Wednesday framed charges against BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury in connection with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
With the charge framing, the war crimes trial against the detained BNP leader who has been charged with 23 counts of crimes began formally.
Salauddin is the second person to be indicted for crimes against humanity.
The tribunal — the first of two set up to deal with war crimes …

Claims defence, petitions for discharging him of war crimes charges
The defence of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed yesterday placed an application seeking discharge of the Jamaat-e-Islami leader from the charges of crimes against humanity at the International Crimes Tribunal-1.
The application came in response to the prosecution’s prayer to indict the Jamaat secretary general who is facing 32 charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971.
Munshi Ahsan Kabir, one of Mojaheed’s counsels, while presenting the discharge petition, read out a statement from his client that said the Jamaat …