By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) yesterday framed five specific charges against nine accused, including Sakhawat Hossain, a former lawmaker, for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the liberation war in 1971.
The three-member panel of the tribunal, headed by Justice Anwarul Haque, framed the charges. The tribunal also fixed January 31, for starting the prosecution’s introductory speech in the case.
The charges include murder, confinement and torture.
Of the nine accused, Hossain and two others are now in jail.
Abdus Shukur Khan, who has been appointed by the state for the accused, will represent the defence during the trial.
On the other hand, Jiad al- Malum will represent the state.
Police arrested Hossain from Uttar Khan area of Dhaka on November 30, 2014.
Hossain, who is the religious affairs secretary of Jatiya Party headed by former President HM Ershad, had been a leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
He was elected a member of parliament from Jessore-6 on a Jamaat ticket in 1991, but left the party before expiry of the term and joined the BNP.
Hossain, who is better known as Moulana Shakhawat, has often switched political parties.
He was even in the LDP and the PDP. But during the 2014 national elections, he got Jatiya Party’s nomination from Jessore-6. He lost the election.
The charges include abduction, confinement, torture and rape of a woman at Keshabpur sub-district’s Boga Village, abduction, torture and murder of Chandtulya Gazi and his son Atiyar of Chingra Village, abduction and torture of Nuruddin Morhal of Chingra Village, abduction, torture and murder of Abdul Malek Sardar of Hijaldanga Village, abduction, torture and murder of Miron Sheikh of Mahadebpur Village and arson and looting several houses of the village.