Court Correspondent :
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) yesterday directed the prosecution not to call anybody ‘Razakar’ even though a case was filed against him on charge of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of 1971, until the allegations are proved.
The three-member tribunal of ICT, led by justice Anwarul Haque, gave the observation during the hearing on a petition filed by the prosecution seeking permission to interrogate three war crimes accused of Naogaon at the Safe Home. The tribunal permitted the prosecution to interrogate Rezaul Karim Mantu, Shahid Mandal and Ishaque Ali from May 8.
Besides, the prosecution sought three months’ time to complete investigation against four suspected accused from Naogaon. Other accused, Nazrul Islam, has been on the run. Later, the tribunal fixed July12 for the submission of probe report in the case.
Abdus Sattar Paloan, a counsel of the accused, drew the attention of the tribunal and said Shahid Mandal was a teacher and he was being called a ‘Razakar’ although the trial was not completed.
Earlier, on October 18, last year, a case was filed with the ICT against the four suspects. Police arrested Mantu, Ishaque and Shahid. Of the accused, police arrested Mantu, former Joypurhat district unit ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, in a criminal case and he, later, was shown arrested in the present war crime case.
