Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !

Bangladesh

Jail authorities get Kamaruzzaman's death warrant

2015-02-20

[Dhaka Tribune] The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday issued death warrant for war criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, a top Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... leader. Jailer Nesar Ali of the Dhaka Central Jail told the Dhaka Tribune that they had received the death warrant. "We will take further steps in line with the directives stated in the death warrant," he added. The judges of tribunal 2 signed the warrant around noon yesterday. An official of the tribunal left the premises around 12:50pm with the warrant, wrapped in a piece of red cloth, to hand it over to the jail authorities. The full verdict of Kamaruzzaman's appeal case against his death penalty was released on Wednesday. The Jamaat leader would get 13 more days from today to file a review petition. The Appellate Division might take a week to hear and dispose of the petition, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said after the release of the full verdict. "If it dismisses the review petition, Kamaruzzaman can seek presidential mercy to save his neck." The top court delivered its verdict upholding the tribunal's death penalty on November 3 last year. The tribunal sentenced Kamaruzzaman to death on May 9, 2013 for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. Five out of seven charges were proved by the prosecution in the case. Kamaruzzaman appealed against the judgement after a month. The Apex Court handed down capital punishment to Kamaruzzaman for the massacre of Sherpur's Sohagpur village, which has come to be widely known as "Bidhoba Palli," or the village of widows, following a mass killing in 1971.

Link

Bangladesh

Petition against Jamaat likely next month

2014-01-19

[Dhaka Tribune] The government is likely to file a petition next month to try Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... for its crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, but due to absence of punishment in the related law, the initiative may not yield any result, many said. Investigations against Jamaat as a party began on August 18 last year for its involvement in crimes through several groups of collaborators formed under the party leadership. But the investigation officer and some legal professionals are concerned as there is no punishment meted out in the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act. The Sherlocks and the prosecution are now dealing with some observations made by the two tribunals about Jamaat -- a component of BNP-led 18-party alliance -- to prove its crimes as a "criminal organization" in 1971. The petition will be filed next month, barrister Tureen Afroz, one of the prosecutors, told the Dhaka Tribune. She said they would pray for a ruling on Jamaat to apologise to the nation for its role in 1971. But Investigation Officer Motiur Rahman is confused about the last part of the probe report where he has to pray for some punishment. He said: "The Act of 1973 does allow me to seek justice but not any specific punishment for any organization." On February 17 last year parliament passed an amendment empowering the tribunals to hold trial of any organization for committing crimes against humanity in 1971. The Act, however, does not have any provision of punishment. When asked, legal professional Shahdin Malik said: "It is a problem to make an organization subject to criminal law as it is not possible to sentence an organization to death. In this part of trial, we should have been specific. The punishment can be imposition of a ban on an organization. If we can specify it in the Act, then it will be more appropriate." Tureen differs with these arguments. "We can amend the Act anytime. But it is not necessary now." She added that in 20(2) of the Act, the tribunal shall award sentence of death or other punishment proportionate to the gravity of the crime as appears to the tribunal to be just and proper. "So the tribunal can give any punishment that they want," she said. However, alcohol has never solved anybody's problems. But then, neither has milk... Investigator Motiur said: "By 'any other punishment' is not proper for the organization. So if possible, the government can change this part [of the Act]." In August this year, the High Court has declared Jamaat's registration with the Election Commission illegal since its party constitution was found to be contradictory with the country's constitution and election rules. In many verdicts, the tribunals included some observations about Jamaat. It even suggested that the government bar anti-liberation people from holding key positions in any government, non-government and socio-political organizations. A tribunal in the verdict against Jamaat guru Ghulam Azam said: "In the interest of establishing a democratic as well as non-communal Bangladesh, we observe that no such anti-liberation people should be allowed to sit at the helm of executives of the government, social or political parties, including government and non-government organizations." Meanwhile, ...back at the argument, Jane reached into her purse for her .38... sentencing al-Badr leaders Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan to death for abducting and killing 18 intellectuals, the tribunal said: "It was Jamaat-e-Islami and its creations, fanatic groups like al-Badr, razakar, al-Shams, and the Peace Committee, who took a stance to 'save Pakistain and Islam' even if it required the obliteration of pro-liberation nation." The two tribunals made almost similar observations in the cases against other top Jamaat leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Muhammad Kamaruzzaman.

Link

Bangladesh

Jamaat actions unlike Islam, judgment says of the party during War of Liberation

2013-07-18

[Bangla Daily Star] Although the Jamaat-e-Islami had claimed that Islam was its ideology, no proof of humanity and tolerance was found in its activities during the Liberation War, International Crimes Tribunal-2 said yesterday in its verdict against Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed. Terming the pro-liberation Bangalee people "miscreants", "agents of India", and "enemies of Islam", the Jamaat had opted to wipe them out only in the name of preserving Pakistan, noted the tribunal judges. "The nation will be failing to acknowledge the sacrifices of millions of people who had laid their lives and honour for the cause of our hard-earned independence if individuals like the present accused [Mojaheed] are not brought to book for their notorious role and active contribution and endorsement for committing systematic atrocities in 1971 in the territory of Bangladesh," they added. Reiterating the observations made in the verdict against another Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman in May this year, the tribunal said the victims and sufferers of the diabolical atrocities do have the right to know the Jamaat's role in 1971. The ICT-2 handed death sentence to Mojaheed, secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War 42 years ago. The same tribunal had found Kamaruzzaman, one of the key organisers of the infamous Al-Badr, guilty of committing crimes against humanity and sentenced him to death. Yesterday's verdict also said, "The Jamaat-e-Islami had played a substantial role in formation of the Al-Badar [Al-Badr], Razakar, al-Shams and peace committees and of course not with the intent to guard the civilians and their property." The Al-Badr was an "action section" and "armed wing" of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was formed mainly with the workers of the Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, observed the judges. The Jamaat, they said, had indulged in indiscriminate massacre of their political opponents belonging to the Bangalee nation in the name of liquidating "miscreants" and "infiltrators" for which it had used Razakars and Al-Badr. The tribunal further held that the Jamaat had allowed the creation of Al-Badr and Razakar to operate an assembly line of incalculable atrocities in the territory of Bangladesh in 1971. This party cannot be relieved of the accountability of unspeakable mayhem, atrocities and murders committed by the Al-Badr, which was created by it (Jamaat), stated the court.

Link

Bangladesh

No war criminals in Bangladesh, Claimed Mojaheed six years back after EC meeting

2013-07-18

[Bangla Daily Star] Convicted war criminal Jamaat-e-Islam Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed six years ago had claimed that there were no war criminals in Bangladesh. Flanked by his party colleagues and the now convicted war criminals Delwar Hossain Sayeedi ...Islamic orator and politician. He was a former Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2008, and is one of the most prominent leaders of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami... , Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah, and suspected war criminals Abdus Subhan and ATM Azharul Islam, he attended a meeting with the Election Commission regarding electoral reforms on October 25, 2007. When journalists asked him about the growing demand for declaring the anti-liberation forces and war criminals disqualified from contesting the national elections, Mojaheed had said, "The constitution does not support the demand. Besides, there are no war criminals in Bangladesh. It is the imaginary and self-created bizarre idea of those talking about war crimes... there are no anti-liberation forces in Bangladesh." Asked about Jamaat's role in 1971 Liberation War, he had counter asked the news hounds to investigate it themselves. About war crimes accusations against them, Mojaheed had said, "These accusations are all false and ill-motivated." The Awami League-led grand alliance won the national elections in 2008 and as per their electoral pledge it set up an International Crimes Tribunal on March 25, 2010 to try war criminals. In 2012, it set up another tribunal for expeditious trial. Mojaheed's statements were proven wrong when Abul Kalam Azad -- expelled Jamaat leader -- aka Bachchu Razakar was the first of the lot to be sentenced with the capital punishment for crimes against humanity and genocide.

Link

Bangladesh

Yet another Jamaat hartal today

2013-05-14

[Bangla Daily Star] Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... is going to observe a countrywide dawn-to-dusk shutdown today in protest against the arrest of its Nayeb-e-Ameer AKM Yusuf. Yusuf, known as the founder of the infamous Razakar force that collaborated with the Mighty Pak Army in killing three million Bangalees during the Liberation War in 1971, is facing 15 war-crime charges. A team of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) picked up Yusuf, 84, from his residence in the capital's Dhanmondi area on Sunday. The party announced the strike on Sunday evening just after the completion of its daylong countrywide hartal ... a peculiarly Bangla combination of a general strike and a riot, used by both major political groups in lieu of actual governance ... in protest against awarding the death sentence to one of its top leaders Muhammad Kamaruzzaman by an International War Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. International War Crimes Tribunal-1 issued an arrest warrant against Yusuf around Sunday noon after taking the charges against him into cognisance. About an hour later, the elite force held the Jamaat leader from his home. The tribunal heard his bail petition yesterday, and fixed today for passing an order on whether he would be granted bail.

Link

Bangladesh

22 Jamaat, Shibir men held in Ctg, Rajshahi

2013-05-12

[Bangla Daily Star] Police incarcerated Youse'll never take me alive coppers!... [BANG!]... Ow!... I quit! 22 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... in Chittagong and Rajshahi on Saturday. Of the total, 16 were detained in Rajshahi while the rest in Chittagong. RAJSHAHI Police locked away Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up! 16 Shibir activists at Kharkhari, Narikelbaria and Ujirpur, on the outskirts of the city, for plotting subversive activities in the city ahead of the Sunday's hartal ... a peculiarly Bangla combination of a general strike and a riot, used by both major political groups in lieu of actual governance ... , said Tanvir Haider, deputy commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police. Jamaat called the countrywide daylong hartal protesting the death penalty against Muhammad Kamaruzzaman. International Crimes Tribunal on May 9 awarded death penalty to Kamaruzzaman for his crimes against humanity in 1971. Among the arrestees, Golam Mostafa received rubber bullet injury in his back as he tried to escape the arrest around 6:00am, reports our Rajshahi correspondent quoting Ziaur Rahman, OC of Boalia cop shoppe. Around 200 coppers conducted the raid at three spots for two hours, the DC said adding that police conducted the raid acting on a tip off from the always reliable Mahmoud the Weasel given by some Shibir activists arrested earlier. All the arrestees were brought to Boalia Police Station, the OC added. CHITTAGONG Police nabbed six leaders and activists of Jamaat-Shibir on charges of vandalism after their leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman was given death penalty for his wartime offences. Jamaat activists Md Ali Asgar and Kamal Uddin at Rampura and Latifpur of the port city were arrested during a drive from 1:00am to 4:30am, reports our Chittagong correspondent quoting officers-in-charge (OCs) of Halishahar and Pahartali cop shoppes. Faruk-e-Azam, a central leader of Shibir and also the office secretary of its district unit, was nabbed from Mistripara, according to the police. Police picked up party activists Hassan Mahmud from Rampura and Md Monir and Md Ismail from Karnaphuli Bridge. Jamaat-Shibir men set a bus ablaze in second Shah Amanat Bridge area of Chittagong city Thursday evening protesting the verdict against Kamaruzzaman that sentenced him to death for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.

Link

Bangladesh

GALLOWS for Kamaruzzaman

2013-05-10

[Bangla Daily Star] Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman being taken to jail from court after he was sentenced to death yesterday for the crimes against humanity he committed during the Liberation War. Photo: Focus Bangla International Crimes Tribunal-2 has found Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, one of the key organisers of the infamous Al Badr force, guilty of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War and has sentenced him to death. The 61-year-old Jamaat-e-Islami senior assistant secretary general was found guilty of mass killing, murder, abduction, torture, rape, persecution, and abetment of torture in greater Mymensingh district in 1971. Tribunal-2 Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan and two other members, Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and judge Md Shahinur Islam, were unanimous in finding Kamaruzzaman guilty and thus they handed down the sentence of capital punishment. The tribunal tried Kamaruzzaman over his crimes in 1971, when he was a top leader of greater Mymensingh Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat, and was also the office secretary of East Pakistain Islami Chhatra Sangha. The tribunal framed seven charges against him but the prosecution was able to prove five of them. Of the five, he was sentenced to death in two charges, life imprisonment in two other charges and 10 years' imprisonment in one charge. "We are convinced from the evidence, oral and documentary, led by the prosecution and the sourced documents, that the accused [Kamaruzzaman] at the relevant time had acted as an atrocious and potential leader of Al-Badr to the actual accomplishment of the crimes charged and beyond," Justice Hassan read from the concluding part of the judgment.

Link

Bangladesh

Jamaat calls hartal Sunday

2013-05-10

[Bangla Daily Star] Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... yesterday called a countrywide daylong hartal ... a peculiarly Bangla combination of a general strike and a riot, used by both major political groups in lieu of actual governance ... for Sunday, nearly an hour after Hefajat-e Islam withdrew its hartal declared earlier for the same day. A key component in the BNP-led 18-party alliance, Jamaat called the hartal in protest at the verdict that sentenced its leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman to death for involvement in war crimes. Jamaat announced the hartal in a statement at 6:30pm, rejecting the verdict delivered by an international crimes tribunal. Ashraf Ali Nizampuri, Hefajat's literature and cultural affairs secretary, told The Daily Star at about 5:30pm that they had withdrawn the hartal on the instructions of its chief Shah Ahmed Shafi. About the reason for the withdrawal, the Hefajat leader said the hartal would disadvantage many of their men who had suffered injuries in festivities with police and were undergoing treatment at different hospitals. He noted that they would also be trying to find out "the activists who were made to disappear" during the festivities. Asked the number of their casualties during a police drive at Motijheel on May 5 and 6, he said their district-level chiefs would prepare a list of the "martyred" and the maimed activists. Meanwhile, ...back at the bunker, his Excellency called the chief of staff and complained that the artillery was keeping him awake... the two-day countrywide hartal called by the 18-party alliance ended last evening without occasioning much violence. However, a lie repeated often enough remains a lie... at a presser at its Nayapaltan head office, the BNP last night claimed that three of its activists were killed during the hartal, one each in Chapainawabganj, Feni and Comilla. Our correspondents in the districts did not have any such information as of the filing of this report at 8:00pm. Talking to The Daily Star, many people -- especially day labourers and roadside vendors -- aired their grievances about the BNP-called general strike. "In the last two-day hartal, I could not earn even one-fourth of what I normally do," said a vendor who sells burgers near the BNP central office.

Link

Bangladesh

Kamaruzzaman led Razakars in Sherpur carnage

2012-10-02

Razakar and Al-Badr men led by war crimes accused Muhammad Kamaruzzaman committed massacre along with the Pakistan army in Sohagpur and Benupara of Sherpur on July 25, 1971, a prosecution witness told International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday. Mohammad Jalal Uddin, son of martyr Safir Uddin of Sohagpur and tenth prosecution witness in the war crimes case against Kamaruzzaman, said at least 245 people, including his father and paternal uncle, were killed that day. "Baka Bura, Nasa and Kadir Doctor were Razakars ...the paramilitary force organized by the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The Urdu word razakar literally means volunteer. The Razakar force was composed of mostly pro-Pakistani Bengalis and Urdu-speaking migrants living in East Pakistan, who became infamous for their atrocities... and Kamaruzzaman was their chief. They committed the massacre after bringing the Pakistan army into the village," said the 62-year-old witness. During his 25-minute testimony, Jalal said Kamaruzzaman was a Sherpur-based Razakar leader and Razakars used to follow his orders strictly.

Link

Bangladesh

Kamaruzzaman indicted

2012-06-05

[Bangla Daily Star] Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman has been charged with murder and torture of unarmed civilians and complicity in other crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971. After framing seven specific charges against him yesterday, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 fixed July 2 for the beginning of the trial. The charges are based on seven separate incidents of crimes against humanity that left at least 183 unarmed people dead and some women raped. Born in Sherpur on July 4, 1952, Kamaruzzaman was president of Islami Chhatra Sangha in greater Mymensingh in 1971. The pro-Jamaat student body was later renamed Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... ICS members formed AL Badr to collaborate with the Pak military that committed genocide and mass killing during the war, according to historical records. The war that ended with the birth of a new nation after nine months saw at least three million people killed and over two lakh women raped. During the charge framing yesterday, Tribunal-2 said Kamaruzzaman had played the key role in the formation of Al Badr with selected students of Ashek Mahmud Collage in Jamalpur. All of them belonged to ICS. Under his leadership, all members of ICS of greater Mymensingh were recruited in Al Badr, the court said while presenting a brief profile of the accused. On receiving summary training, they started committing atrocities targeting the Hindu community and unarmed Bangalee civilians in Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Sherpur, Jamalpur and Mymensingh. "He [Kamaruzzaman] allegedly being in close association with Mighty Pak Army, actively aided, abetted, facilitated and substantially contributed in committing dreadful atrocities during the War of Liberation in 1971 in the territory of Bangladesh," it said. Now senior assistant secretary general of his party, the Jamaat leader has also been charged with complicity in and failing to prevent such crimes. Six of the seven charges were for his involvement in crimes, including murder, torture, abduction and confinement. One charge related to his "inhuman acts" against Syed Abdul Hannan, the then principal of Sherpur College, in 1971. "During the period of the War of Liberation, on an afternoon in mid-May, you [Kamaruzzaman], being the chief organiser of Al-Badr Bahini as well as leader of Islami Chhatra Sangha or member of a group of individuals, and your accomplices caused inhuman acts to distinguished pro-liberation intellectual Syed Abdul Hannan, the then Principal of Sherpur College, by compelling him to walk through the town, making him almost undressed and by constant whipping, as he was a gallant supporter of the War of Liberation," the court told the accused. "Therefore, you, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, are being charged with participating in and substantially facilitating and contributing to the commission of offence of 'inhuman acts as crime against humanity' caused to Syed Abdul Hannan."

Link

Bangladesh

War Crimes Trial: Charges against Kamaruzzaman accepted

2012-02-01

[Bangla Daily Star] The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday accepted charges against Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman regarding his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. The ICT fixed February 29 for hearings on charge framing. The prosecution on January 15 pressed charges against the Jamaat assistant secretary general on nine counts of crimes against humanity, including conspiracy of genocide. Kamaruzzaman operated in Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Tangail and Sherpur areas during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, according to the charges. The three-judge tribunal headed by Justice Md Nizamul Huq yesterday directed prosecution to submit copies of the formal charges against Kamaruzzaman and other relevant documents to the tribunal's registrar by February 6. It also asked defence to collect copies of the charges from the registrar's office on February 7 so that it could prepare for the legal battle. The court said it had taken the charges against the Jamaat leader into cognisance after examining the formal charges, probe reports and documents submitted by the prosecution and seeing enough preliminary evidence for a trial. On December 28 last year, the tribunal sent the formal charge against Kamaruzzaman back to prosecution as the charges were not classified and organised properly. After the court passed the order yesterday, Prosecutor AKM Saiful Islam told news hounds that Kamaruzzaman, chief organiser of Al Badr Bahini (collaborators' force), was in charge of executing the plan of the Pak armed forces' operation Search Light on the night of March 25, 1971. Kamaruzzaman personally took part in operations at many places during the Liberation War, he said. Defence counsel Tajul Islam told news hounds the case had been filed against Kamaruzzaman in order to harass him. He was not, said the lawyer, involved in any crimes against humanity committed during 1971. Kamaruzzaman is among six Jamaat leaders, including its former chief Ghulam Azam and two BNP leaders, facing war crimes charges before the court. All of them have been locked away and one of them is on bail.

Link

Bangladesh

Mojaheed pressed Pak army for hasty killings

2012-01-17

[Bangla Daily Star] Top Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed was involved in killing many people, including freedom fighters and intellectuals, during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, according to the findings of the prosecution. The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday received the formal charge of crimes against Mojaheed after a resubmission by the prosecution. The tribunal On December 28 last year returned the charge against Mojaheed saying that it had not been arranged properly and asked the prosecution to resubmit a formal charge in an arranged and classified manner by January 16 (yesterday). The three-judge tribunal, headed by its Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq, yesterday fixed January 26 for passing an order on whether it would take the charge against Mojaheed into cognisance for trial. The fresh charge contains 34 incidents of crime allegedly committed by Mojaheed, secretary general of Jamaat, during the war. Yesterday after the submission, Prosecutor Mukhlesur Rahman Badal told The Daily Star that they have found proof that Mojaheed (now in jail) had been involved in the killing of eminent music composer Altaf Mahmud and well-known freedom fighter Shafi Imam Rumee. Rumee is a son of Jahanara Imam, also known as Shaheed Janani (mother of martyr). In her highly-admired book "Ekattorer Dinguli", Jahanara Imam gave account of the days of the nine-month Liberation War and Rumee's murder. The prosecutor said, "The then Pak occupation army confined six people including Altaf Mahmud and Rumee at the Old MP Hostel in Nakhalpara area of the capital in August 1971. "Mojaheed and his superior Motiur Rahman Nizami ...During the liberation war of 1971, Nizami formed the Al-Badr Force and acted as its supreme commander. The Al-Badr militia took active part in rape, extortion, looting and killing of Bangladeshis who supported the liberation, including a pre-planned massacre on December 14, 1971, when the Al-Badr militia along with Pakistan Army rounded up hundreds of doctors, professors, writers, and other Bengali intellectuals, and executed them... on August 30, 1971 told the occupation army to kill the confined people before the then Pakistain president Yahya Khan had declared amnesty for "separatists" and "myrmidons" (freedom fighters). In September, 1971, Yahya declared amnesty asking the myrmidons and separatists to surrender. The prosecutor said the occupation force and their collaborators led by Mojaheed had killed 50 to 60 men and women after looting and setting fire to 300 to 350 houses in Hindu dominated Baidyadangi and Majhidangi villages of Charvodrason Thana in Faridpur district in mid-May, 1971. Mojaheed, the then secretary of East Pakistain Islami Chhatra Sangha, had provoked and instigated the then Pak occupation force and its collaborators -- Razakar, Al Badr, Al shams and other organizations -- in killing pro-liberation people by delivering speeches in different places of Rangpur, Bogra, Comilla and Faridpur in 1971, according to the prosecutor. Badal said Mojaheed, the then commander of Al Badr, was also involved in the killing of intellectuals on December 14, 1971, two days before Bangladesh won its independence. He said Mojaheed and Nizami, then president of East Pakistain Islami Chhatra Sangha, were involved in conspiring with the occupation army in committing atrocities and crimes against humanity. The International Crimes Tribunal has so far received the formal charges against former Jamaat-e Islami ameer Ghulam Azam, its present Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Nayeb-e Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayeedi ...Islamic orator and politician. He was a former Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2008, and is one of the most prominent leaders of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami... , and Assistant Secretaries General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Mollah and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury in connection with their alleged crimes against humanity.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More