The International Crime Tribunal yesterday accepted war crimes charges against nine including former Jamaat MP Shakhawat Hossain.
The Tribunal also cleared three others saying there were no specific charges against them. They are Md Akram Hossain, Azihar Morhal and Moshiur Rahman. Akram and Azihar are now in jail while Moshiur is absconding.
The accused are Md Billal Hossain Biswas, Md Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh Md Mojibur Rahman, MA Aziz Sardar, Abdul Aziz Sardar, Kazi Ohidul Islam, Md Lutfur Morhal and Md Abdul Khalek. Shakhawat and Billal are behind bars.
“The court has ordered for the arrest of seven absconding accused and fixed September 30 for hearing,” said prosecutor Rezia Sultana.
The prosecution pressed charges against 12 on July 27, showing four of them arrested.
The accused were allegedly involved in killing two people, raping one and torturing two others in Keshabpur of Jessore in 1971.
Prosecution said Shakhawat was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha and a commander of Razakar force at Chingra Bazar camp during the Liberation War.
Shakhawat is now the religious affairs secretary of Jatiya Party. He was elected lawmaker from Jessore-6 from the Jamaat in 1991.
