Tipu Sultan gets death for war crimes

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced death to Rajshahi’s Tipu Sultan in a case filed on charge of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, 1971.

A three-member tribunal headed by its chairman Judge Md Shahinur Islam passed the order on Wednesday. The two other members are Justice Amir Hossain and Justice Abu Ahmed Jamadar.  

Earlier on Monday, the tribunal set Wednesday to deliver the verdict.

The tribunal on October 17 kept the date of the judgement on CAV, curia advisari vult (a Latin legal term meaning the court awaits judgement), as the prosecution and defence concluded their arguments in the case on that day.

Prosecutors Mokhlesur Rahman Badal and Sabina Yesmin Khan moved the case against Tipu while Advocate Gazi MH Tamim stood for the accused.

According to the prosecution, Tipu was an active follower of Islamic Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, and joined Razakar Bahini in his locality as the war begin. He was also arrested under the Collaborators Act in 1972.

The tribunal on May 14, 2017 issued production warrant against the accused as he was behind bars already in connection with another case filed with Motihar Police station of Rajshahi.

Tipu was produced before the tribunal on July 10, 2017 and he was sent to prison as he was shown arrested in connection with this case.

The prosecution on May 29, 2018 submitted formal charge against the accused and the tribunal on the same day took into cognizance the charges pressed against him.

The tribunal on August 8, 2018 framed two charges of crimes against humanity including abduction, confinement, torture, plunder and murder against Tipu.

A total of 14 witnesses including investigation officer (IO) testified in the case.