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Crimes against humanity: Khalilur awarded death penalty
A tribunal sentenced Al-Badr leader Mohammad Khalilur Rahman of Durgapur, Netrakona to death for his crimes against humanity.
A tribunal sentenced Al-Badr leader Mohammad Khalilur Rahman of Durgapur, Netrakona to death for his crimes against humanity including murder and genocide during the Liberation War in 1971.
A three-member judicial panel, led by International Crimes Tribunal chairman Justice Md Shahinur Islam, pronounced the verdict on Tuesday (September 13) morning.
Rana Dasgupta and Rezia Sultana Chaman were present as prosecutors in the hearing against the convict where state-appointed lawyer Gazi MH Tamim stood for the convict.
The tribunal on July 18, 2022, kept the trial on CAV, curia advisory vault (a Latin legal term, meaning court awaits judgment) as both the prosecution and defence concluded their arguments on that day.
Initially, there were five accused in the case and they are Mohammad Khalilur Rahman, Md Azizur Rahman, Ashok Ali, Md Shahnewaj and Ramjan Ali. Of the five, all but Khalilur, were arrested by the police. Ramjan died in police custody on September 30, 2016, while the investigation into the case was underway.
The tribunal on March 12, 2018, framed charges against the four accused. But the three arrested accused died of old age in custody at hearing stage, leaving Khalilur as the sole accused in the case.
According to the prosecution, they were accused of illegal detention, torture, kidnapping, looting, destruction by fire, rape, rape attempt, murder and genocide in Durgapur and Kalmakanda areas of Netrokona district in 1971.
The complaint mentions 22 killing, one rape, one rape attempt, torture in camp, looting of 14-15 houses and setting fire to seven houses.
Khalilur, who was a member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, in 1971, joined in the locally formed Razakar Bahini.
Subsequently, he became the commander of the local Al-Badr Bahini and committed crimes against humanity in the locality, according to the prosecution.