Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Kamaruzzaman indictment hearing delayed


DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Feb 29 The war crimes tribunal on Wednesday deferred the indictment hearing of Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman to Mar 18.

The International Crimes Tribunal, set up to try war crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War, was expected to begin hearing charges against the Jamaat leader on Wednesday.

But tribunal chairman, Justice Nizamul Huq, granted defence counsel M Taul Islam' prayer seeking more time.

On Jan 31, the tribunal took cognisance of war crimes charges against the Jamaat leader and fixed Feb 29 as the date for indictment hearing.

On July 21 last year, the tribunal's investigation officers started probing charges of crimes against humanity, allegedly committed the Jamaat leader during the Liberation war. He was shown arrested to the tribunal on Aug 2 last year.

The 327-page report brought charges of rape, murder, arson, loot and other crimes against Kamruzzaman during the '71 war. On Jan 15, the prosecution submitted formal charges against him to the tribunal.

Besides Kamaruzzaman, others detained on war crimes charges are former and current Jamaat chiefs Ghulam Azam and Matiur Rahman Nizami, party's Naeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Molla, and BNP standing committee member and MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury

The tribunal granted conditional bail to former BNP lawmaker and minister Abdul Alim on March 31 last year. The bail was extended further on Jan 16, ordering him to be present in the court on Mar 15 when the prosecution has been directed to submit formal charges against the BNP leader.

No comments:

Post a Comment