DHAKA: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 on Monday framed charges against Obaidul Haque alias Abu Taher and Ataur Rahman Noni, Razakar leaders of Netrokona for six wartime crimes charges including murder, abduction and torture.

When asked whether they were guilty, both Noni and Taher pleaded not guilty.

Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the three-member panel of ICT-1, also fixed April 5 for placing opening statement in the case.

Earlier in the day, both the accused were produced before the tribunal from jail.

On December 4 last year, the tribunal, set up to try crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, took the charges against them into cognizance.

On the same day, prosecutor Mokhlesur Rahman Badal submitted the formal charges against them to the tribunal.

The investigation agency of ICT found evidence of their involvement in the killing, genocide, arson and looting in different places of Netrokona during the War of Liberation.

The investigation officer Mohammad Shahjahan Kabir made the final report and submitted to prosecution on November 9. He started the investigation from June 6, of this year.

Earlier on August 12 in 2014, the duo was arrested from Netrokona within hours after the first tribunal issued warrants for their arrest following a prosecution plea.

They were accused of a case filed for killing freedom fighter Badiuzzaman Mukta of Netrakona during the 1971 Liberation War.

Nephew of the martyred freedom fighter, Ali Reza Kanchan filed a case in 2010 with the judicial magistrate court of Netrokona accusing 12 anti-liberation force members including the duo. The magistrate then forwarded the case to the International Crimes Tribunals.

However, 32 prosecution witnesses are likely to give their testimony to the tribunal against them.

BDST: 1342 HRS, MAR 2, 2015