The International Crimes Tribunal 2 has completed the recording of closing arguments in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Abdus Subhan, and will deliver the verdict any day.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Shahinur Islam, gave the order yesterday.
The other tribunal on Wednesday kept the war crimes case of Jatiya Party's former lawmaker M Abdul Jabbar awaiting verdict.
Maulana Subhan, 77, is facing nine charges of crimes against humanity including genocide and murders of unarmed people, mainly Hindus, along with looting and setting houses on fire in Pabna during the 1971 Liberation War.
The charges are based on separate incidents between April 13 and October 30 in 1971 in Pabna. About 450 unarmed people were killed in those incidents.
He was arrested on September 20, 2012.
Acting chief of Jamaat’s Pabna unit during the war, the accused was indicted on December 31 last year on nine charges of crimes against humanity.
Subhan was also accused in 1972 by a special tribunal for collaborating with the Pakistani occupation forces and summoned. However, he did not face trial as he had already fled to Pakistan with former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam.
He became a member of parliament in 2001 from Pabna 5 constituency.
According to the prosecution, Subhan was the vice-president of Pabna Peace Committee, an associate organisation of the Pakistani Army, during the war. He was a Majlish-e-Sura member of the central unit of Jamaat in undivided Pakistan.
After a 17-month investigation, the probe agency submitted its final report to the prosecution on September 12 last year. The tribunal 1 indicted Subhan on December 31. But the case was later shifted to tribunal 2 for quick disposal.
As many as 31 prosecution witnesses testified against Subhan while vouched for the accused at the tribunal.
During the closing arguments yesterday, prosecutor Turin Afroz demanded capital punishment for the accused for the “heinous crimes” he had committed.
The prosecution also pleaded for adequate compensation for the victims.
Charges
According to the case, on May 12 of 1971, 300-400 people including Hindus were killed by the Pakistani Army and its local collaborators allegedly under Subhan's leadership at several villages in Satbaria union of Sujanagar upazila.
At Juktitala village in Ishwardi, five people were killed and three others injured on April 13 in his presence and under his leadership.
Accompanied by local Jamaat leaders and the Biharis, Subhan allegedly abducted three persons, who had taken shelter in a local mosque, on April 17-18. They were later killed.
Led by Subhan, the Pakistani Army raided Sahapur village in Ishwardi on May 2, killed five people and looted several houses before setting those on fire.
Subhan allegedly abducted two persons from Arankhola cattle market in Ishwardi on May 16. The hostages were tortured at District Dak Bungalow in Ishwardi.
The Jamaat leader also led the Pakistani Army in alleged attacks on Kulniya and Dogachhi villages in Pabna on May 11. Five people were killed and several houses torched at that time.
On May 20, under the leadership of Subhan, the Pakistani Army allegedly picked up 18 people from Bharara village and killed one of them instantly. Others had been tortured at Nurpur Power Plant. Later, some of them were killed near Debottar Bazar. At least 18 people were killed in the incident.
In the first week of September, Subhan, accompanied by local razakars, allegedly abducted two pro-liberation persons from Dublia Bazar under Pabna sadar and killed them inside a temple at Kuchiamara village.
On October 30, Subhan and local razakars allegedly attacked Betbaria village in Ishwardi and looted several houses before setting those on fire. Four people were also abducted from the village and later killed.
