The International Crimes Tribunal Monday framed charges against eight alleged al-Badr men from Jamalpur for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
According to the five charges brought against them, the accused were involved in murder, abduction, torture, confinement and arson between April 22 and December 11, 1971 in Jamalpur.
The tribunal is scheduled to start trial in the case on November 18 by recording statements from prosecution witnesses.
The accused are – Advocate Shamsul Haque, 75, SM Yusuf Ali, 83, Ashraf Hossain, 64, Prof Sharif Ahammed, 71, Abdul Mannan, 66, Abdul Bari, 62, Harun, 58, and Abul Hashem, 65. Of them, Shamsul and Yusuf are in jail, while the rest are absconding.
Shamsul and Yusuf pleaded not guilty when the tribunal read out the charges before them.
According to the prosecution, these two contested the national election in 1970 as Jamaat-e-Islami candidates. The others were involved in Islami Chhatra Sangha and al-Badr.
Following the indictment order, the tribunal asked the prosecution to provide all necessary documents to the defence by November 18. The defence has also been asked to submit the list of witnesses or documents before the tribunal by that date.