Former Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Ghulam Azam who was sentenced to 90 years’ imprisonment unto death for masterminding atrocities during the Liberation War in 1971 died at a city hospital on Thursday night. He was 92. He breathed his last at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) 10:10pm, said Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Mazid Bhuiyan, director of the hospital. Ghulam Azam was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital on October 9 following the deterioration in his condition as he had been detected with kidney problems and infection in the lungs. Earlier, he had been kept at the Coronary Care Unit for 12 days from September 2 for respiratory problems. The hospital authorities are expected to hand over the body of the former Jamaat ameer to the jail authorities soon who will later hand it over to the family members. Meanwhile, Ghulam Azam’s son Abdullahil Amaan Azmi told reporters that five out their six brothers live aboard and they will decide two days later when their father will be buried. He, however, said he will be buried at their family graveyard at city’s Moghbazar. On July 15, 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 awarded Ghulam Azam 90 years’ jail term unto death for abetting atrocities during the war of independence against Pakistan. The long jail term was awarded to him on five counts of charges such as: Conspiracy- 10 years, masterminding- 10 years, incitement-20 years, complicity-20 years and murder of SI Shiru Mia and others- 30 years. On May 13, 2012, the tribunal indicted self-confessed Pakistan collaborator (exonerated) Ghulam Azam for his involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. The charges against him included involvement in murder and torture of unarmed people, conspiracy, planning, incitement and complicity to commit genocide and crimes against humanity during the war in collaboration with Pakistani junta and its auxiliary forces like Razakar, peace committees, Al Badr and Al Shams. The tribunal considered the five charges under 61 counts of crimes against humanity as proposed by the prosecution which fall under section 3 (2) and 4 (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973. A total of 17 prosecution witnesses, including the investigation officer, testified against Ghulam Azam while the accused son, Brig Gen (dismissed) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, was the only defence witness for him. On January 11, 2012, the tribunal sent Ghulam Azam to Dhaka Central Jail from the dock rejecting his bail prayer. The same day, he was taken to the BSMMU prison cell for medical checkup and he had been locked there since then. –UNB, Dhaka
