Bangladesh: Three given death sentences in 1971 war crimes

A war trial tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced three absconding Jamalpur Al-Badr men to death and five others to jail until death for crimes committed against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

Ashraf Hossain, Professor Sharif Ahammed and Abdul Bari have been shown the gallows, while SM Yousuf Ali, Shamsul Haque, Abdul Mannan, Harun and Abul Hashem have been given life in jail, reports the Daily Star.

Among the eight who have been sentenced on Monday, only Yousuf Ali and Shamsul Haque are in custody. A three-member bench of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Anwarul Haque delivered the 289-page verdict in presence of the two convicted.

The court has asked Inspector general of police and the home secretary to arrest the fugitives immediately and seek help from Interpol if necessary. Prosecution lawyer Tureen Afroz said her team is satisfied with the conviction.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer Gazi MH Tamim said his side will appeal against the sentences awarded. Al-Badr, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation army, first came to existence in Jamalpur and Sherpur, according to the investigation agency of the war crimes tribunal.

Ashraf, along with executed war criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, and Kamran organised Al-Badr in greater Mymensingh. They are all leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami's the then student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha. The agency said that Sharif, Mannan, Bari, Harun, and Hashem were also involved with Islami Chhatra Sangha and became Al-Badr members. =