DHAKA: Prosecution on Sunday submitted formal charge against 12 war crimes suspects, including former Jamaat-e-Islami MP Sakhawat Hossain in a case for committing crimes against humanity during the country’s war of independence in 1971.

Later, International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 fixed September 8 to give its order whether the formal charge would be taken into cognizance.

Prosecutor Ziad Al Malum submitted the formal charge-sheet against the five before the ICT-1.

In the formal charge, five charges, including killing, genocide, rape and arson attacks, were brought against 12 alleged razakars for their crimes against humanity committed during the war.

Earlier on June 16, the ICT investigation agency submitted the report on crimes against humanity against 12 war crimes suspects of Jessore.

All 12 war crimes suspects are hailed from Keshabpur upazila of Jessore district. Of them, Sakhawat Hossain, Billal Hossain, Akram Hossain and Oziar Morhal are behind bar now.

The rest of accused – M Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh M Majibur Rahman, M Abdul Azim Sardar, M Aziz Sarder, Kazi Oahidul Islam, M Lutfar Morhal, M Abdul Khaleque Morhal, and Mushiar Rahman – are on the run.

In the probe report, five charges, including murder, carrying out massacre, kidnap, detention, attack, looting and torching houses committed during the war in different areas of Keshabpur, were brought against the accused.

However, Sakhawat was the commander of notorious Al-Badr force in Keshabpur and the others were the member of that force.

People of the minority communities were forced to leave country due to the wartime torture and oppression, according to the report.

Earlier, the ICT-1 separately issued arrest warrants against Sakhawat Hossain on November, 2014 and against 11 other alleged razakars on May 12 this year on charges of committing crimes during the war.

Law enforcing agency arrested Sakhawat from capital’s Uttar Khan area on November 29, 2014 while three of 11 others were arrested on May 12.

However, Sakhawat became a lawmaker from BNP’s major ally Jamaat-e-Islami in 1991. Later, he joined BNP but failed to secure the party nomination in 2001 elections, and vied the poll as an independent candidate but defeated.

After 2001 poll, BNP expelled him from the party for violating party discipline, and later joined Jatiya Party.

BDST: 1429 HRS, JUL 26, 2015
RS/RR