The war crimes verdict for Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam is expected to be delivered any day after his trial at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) ended on Thursday. The ICT-1 headed by Justice Enayetur Rahim completed hearing of the prosecution and the defence in the war crimes case against the assistant secretary general of Jamaat and issued a CAV. ‘Curia advisari vult’ (CAV for short) is a Latin legal term which literally means ‘the court wishes to be advised’, meaning it reserves the judgment for another day. The Prosecution pressed charges against Azhar on July 18, 2013 on counts of murder, genocide, kidnap, torture and rape. According to the prosecution, charges brought against Azhar include murder of 1,225 people in Rangpur, murder of four more, abduction of 17 people, torture on 13 people by confining them to a place, and arson. Azhar was a higher secondary student at Rangpur’s Carmichael College in 1971. He was also the President of Islami Chhatra Shangha, the then student front of Jamaat-e Islami and had allegedly led the Al-Badr militia to assist the Pakistani army. The prosecution accused Azhar of collaborating with the Pakistani forces in planning and launching the attacks, torture and arson. The investigation against Azhar began on Apr 15, 2012. The Investigation Officer questioned 60 people during the enquiry. Azhar was arrested from his Moghbazar residence on Aug 22 the same and has been in jail since then. Jamaat leader was indicted on Nov 12 last year and the arguments started on Dec 5. — bdnews24.com
