International Crimes Tribunal 2 yesterday asked the prosecution to submit a progress report on the investigation against Forkan Mollik, a war crimes suspect, by August 14 in a crimes against humanity case.
Forkan, an alleged razakar, was produced before the tribunal yesterday as the tribunal previously asked the inspector general of police to place Forkan before the tribunal on July 3.
According to the case statement, Forkan, 62, was a razakar commander in Mirzaganj upazila of Patuakhali during the Liberation War in 1971.
The suspect – who did not have any counsel representing him yesterday – told the ICT that he was never a razakar and claimed that one of his family members had filed the case against him because of an existing land dispute. Forkan added that he had secured bail from the High Court for this particular case.
After Forkan sought permission to make further statements, the tribunal asked him to appoint a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
The three-judge panel of the ICT 2, led by its Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan, also asked for a probe progress report from the prosecution, after accepting a petition which was
earlier submitted by the prosecution on June 30 seeking permission for showing Forkan arrested for his alleged crimes.
After passing the order yesterday, the tribunal ordered to send Forkan to jail.
During his submission yesterday, prosecutor Mokhlesur Rahman Badal claimed the suspect was an influential razakar, adding that many local intellectuals, cultural activists and freedom fighters were killed by the Pakistani occupation forces with Forkan’s assistance.
The accused was involved in several crimes committed between May and December 15 of 1971, said prosecutor Mokhlesur.
“From the report sent by Patuakhali deputy commissioner it is clear that the accused was associated with razakar bahini during the Liberation War,” he added.
On June 25, the police arrested Forkan from Rupatali bus stand area of Barisal.
On July 21, 2009, Abdul Hamid of Shoulabunia in Patuakhali’s Mirzaganj upazila lodged a case against Forkan with Mirzaganj police station.
In the case, the complainant alleged that Subidkhali residents Abdul Qader Jamaddar, Dr Debendranath and his wife, and Kakrabunia resident Habib alias Yazuddin Khalifa were detained and killed by Pakistani occupation forces in cooperation with razakar commander Forkan.