Timir Banik, Moulvibazar Correspondent: The tribunal has announced the death sentence of three persons including Abdul Aziz alias Habul of Baralekha in Moulvibazar for crimes against humanity including murder and genocide organized during the 71st Great Liberation War.

A three-member tribunal headed by Justice Shahinur Islam, chairman of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, handed down the verdict on Thursday (May 19th). The other members of the tribunal are Justice Abu Ahmed Jamadar and KM Hafizul Alam.
The other two convicts are Abdul Mannan and Abdul Matin. Among them Abdul Matin is a fugitive.

Earlier on April 12, after hearing both the state and the accused in the case, the tribunal issued a stay order (CAV) for the verdict of the case. The tribunal set Tuesday (May 18) for the verdict against the three.

An investigation into crimes against humanity began on October 16, 2014. It ended on November 14, 2016. The three accused have been charged with five crimes against humanity such as murder, genocide, rape and torture in Baralekha area of Moulvibazar in 1971.
On February 29, 2016, the tribunal issued arrest warrants against three persons of Baralekha in the case of crimes against humanity. On March 1 of that year, Moulvibazar Baralekha police arrested two persons. The court ordered that Abdul Aziz and Abdul Mannan be produced before the tribunal on March 2 after their arrest.

In 1971, two brothers Abdul Aziz and Abdul Matin were members of Chhatra League. When the war of liberation started, they went to the capital of India for training. But they escaped while training and joined the Razakar forces. Another accused, Abdul Mannan, was a leader of the local Muslim League in 1971.