The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Tuesday set September 29 whether it would indict absconding mayor of Nagarkanda municipality in Faridpur Zahid Hossain alias Khokon facing case of crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
After closing the arguments on charge hearing matter from both the prosecution and state defence lawyers, the tribunal passed the order. Earlier, designated prosecutor Mukhlesur Rahman Badal prayed for framing charge against the accused as the investigation report reveals enormous elements in this regard with supporting papers and documents.
Opposing the prosecution arguments, state-appointed defense counsel advocate A Shukur Khan said the prosecution has brought false allegations against his client to tarnish his image as a popular elected mayor. “My client (Zahid Hossain) was never a Razakar Commander during the Liberation War and the prosecution could not show any proper document in this regard,” he said.
The state defence counsel urged the tribunal to discharge his client from the case. He also informed the tribunal that he had tried his best to contact his fugitive client for getting instructions in connection with the case, but failed in his bid.
Responding to a prosecution plea on July 18, the tribunal, after taking cognisance of the charge of crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War against Khokon, issued warrant for his arrest as the accused did not appear before it.
The prosecution, in compliance with a tribunal order, published legal notice in daily newspapers asking Khokon to surrender before the tribunal within a fortnight to face the trial, but the accused did not turn up. Earlier, on June 23, the prosecution submitted to the tribunal formal war crimes charges against the incumbent Nagarkanda municipality mayor.
Septuagenarian Zahid Hossain Khokon, also Nagarkanda upazila BNP vice-president, faces 11 counts of charges that include loot, arson, repression, forcible conversion to Islam, shooting to death, rape, killing and mass killing in his area during the 1971 Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation army.
A total of 50 people have been made prosecution witnesses in the case. – UNB
