The prosecution in the trial of ATM Azharul Islam, the alleged al-Badr commander of Rangpur, placed closing arguments for the fourth day yesterday.
When they started placing arguments on charge number five, the tribunal harshly criticised the prosecution since the investigation officer had placed minimum evidence in support of the charge that describes torture and rape in Rangpur Town Hall.
Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the three-member tribunal 1, said: “It is a historic fact that Rangpur Town Hall was a torture camp run by the Pakistani occupation forces and their accomplices. There are a lot of strong evidence to support this. But you failed to bring any strong evidence.”
The tribunal also termed the investigation callous and asked the prosecutor: “Why did your IO not bring any witnesses from Rangpur town? Even he did not seize and produce any book on war in Rangpur town!”
Prosecutor Tapos K Baul was little upset but managed to respond strongly: “The tribunal should convict the accused since a victim testified accusing Azhar for supporting the army members of raping her.”
The prosecution also accused the Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general of committing genocide by assisting the Pakistani Army personnel to abduct and kill four teachers of Rangpur Carmichael College.
“As the accused himself was a student of Carmichael College in 1971 and personally knew all the teachers, so if he wished, he could have played a vital role in saving them. But without doing so, he helped the Pakistani Army by identifying them and in their abduction and killings.”
Tapos said the incident had been a genocide since the victims belonged to a particular group; they were intellectuals. Moreover, all of them were Hindus.”
He said the prosecution had placed enough evidence to prove the charge against Azhar. The tribunal later adjourned the hearing until today.
Meanwhile, the same tribunal yesterday took the charges of crimes against humanity against Syed Hassan Ali alias Hachhen Ali into cognisance and set September 14 for holding further hearing.
The tribunal also asked the prosecution to take necessary steps in publishing advertisement on national dailies asking the fugitive accused to appear before the court. The tribunal on April 3 issued arrest warrant against Hassan, the alleged razakar commander from Tarail area in Kishoreganj.