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Two militiamen to die in Bangladesh over war crime

Published

10 years ago

April 19, 2017

Two people have been sentenced to death in Bangladesh over crimes committed during the country’s 1971 war of independence with Pakistan.

The Special War Crimes Tribunal was said to have on Wednesday passed the sentence Moslem Prodhan, 66, and Syed Mohammad Hossain, 64, after been found guilty of killing civilians.

There are reports that the duo had orchestrated the killing and other atrocious acts against civilians during the 9-month war.

They were charged on six counts including killing of defenseless and unarmed civilians.

It was learnt that when the offence was committed, both men were members of an armed militia group linked to the Pakistan army.

The Prosecution lawyer, Tureen Afroz, said they proved beyond reasonable doubt in all the six charges that they were culpable.

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“The death sentence can be executed either by hanging or shooting as the government decides,” Afroz further added.

It was learnt that while Prodhan is in custody, Hossain is currently on the run.

It was also learnt that six opposition politicians, mostly from the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party, have been hanged after being convicted of war crimes.

The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, had set up the special tribunal in 2010.

East Pakistan became Bangladesh after the fighting ended with the surrender of Pakistani forces on Dec. 16, 1971.

Reports revealed that an early attempt to prosecute the suspects was not successful following the 1975 assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding leader and father of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.