The ICT-1 on Monday heard the bail petition of detained Jamaat leader AKM Yusuf for a case filed against him for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
After hearing both sides, Tuesday was set as the date when an order would be passed on the petition, by the three member ICT-1 panel headed by ATM Fazle Kabir.
Rab arrested Yusuf from his Dhanmondi residence on Sunday immediately after they were asked to do so by the tribunal.
The Jamaat leader was produced before the court three hours after his arrest.
In the bail petition, defence counsel barrister Abdur Razzak stated that Yusuf is an old man who has been suffering from physical complications, including cardiac and hearing problems, and should therefore be provided bail.
The defence also argued that if Yusuf is not awarded bail, he should at least be kept in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University’s (BSMMU) prison cell.
In their argument, the prosecution said AKM Yusuf is a political figure. He is a senior Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islam. Though he was ill, he did not resign from the party. So, he should not be awarded bail.
Syed Haider Ali, another prosecutor, pleaded the case, saying: “If we want a fair trial, we have to keep Yusuf in jail.”
There are a lot of medical personnel to take care of him, the prosecutor said, urging the tribunal not to consider the bail petition.
Earlier, Syed Haider Ali with three other prosecutors submitted formal charges against Yusuf, at the registrar's office of the International Crimes Tribunal.
They charged Yusuf with alleged involvement in the murder of eight people and mass killing of 700 others, looting 300 houses and 400 shops and forcing 200 Hindus to convert into Islam.
On April 22, the probe body submitted its report to the prosecution after investigation into the alleged crimes of Yusuf who hails from Rajair Kaliarpar under Sarankhola Upazila in Bagerhat.
It claimed that the accused formed peace committees in every sub-division, police station and union in Khulna.
The Jamaat leader established the Razakar force on May 5, 1971 at an Ansar camp on Khan Jahan Ali Road in Khulna with 96 Jamaat activists.