Dhaka – Four men have been sentenced to death for crimes they committed during Bangladesh’s war of liberation with Pakistan more than five decades ago in a south-western district, officials said on Sunday.

A three-judge panel, presided over by Justice Md Shahinur Islam, at the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced the four to death in a case filed over war crimes committed during 1971 war.

Md Amzad Hossain Mollah, Md Ohab Mollah, Md Mahatab Biswas and Md Fasiar Rahman Mollah of Jessore district were convicted for murders, torture, kidnapping and detention, and were sentenced to death.

Only Amzad is in jail; the others were tried in absentia.

Md Nowsher Biswas, another accused, passed away while he was evading capture, and his name was dropped from the charge.

The tribunal investigation agency began looking into the allegations against the defendants on April 4, 2016. The probe was completed on April 16, 2018, according to the prosecution lawyers.

The tribunal on July 29 in 2019 framed charges against the accused.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina set up the special tribunal in 2010 after an earlier effort to try war crimes was called off with the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

The tribunal tried a number of accused, including the top leadership of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party which opposed creation of Bangladesh and collaborated the Pakistani forces during the war.

An estimated 300,000 people were killed, more than 200,000 women violated and numerous homes were torched during the nine-month war that ended on December 16, 1971.

newsnextbd.com/n