It is the first time the prosecution has submitted a formal charge against any Pakistani army official of Bengali origin for committing crimes against humanity in 1971. However, the tribunal has fixed Nov 14 for the order to decide whether the allegations will be taken during the trial.
The prosecution at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 filed charge sheet against Captain (retd) Mohammad Shahidullah, a former member of Pakistani occupation army from Bangladesh, for committing crimes against humanity in 1971.
On Tuesday (31 October), the three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam set the date of the trial.
The prosecutor of the case, Abul Kalam told the Bangla Tribune, we have filed a charge sheet against Captain (retd) Mohammad Shahidullah (75), a former member of Pakistani army from Bangladesh, for committing crimes against humanity in 1971. Today, this allegation filed in the tribunal. However, the tribunal has fixed Nov 14 for the order to decide whether the allegations will be taken during the trial.
Before this, on 21 March, the investigation agency of International Crimes Tribunal has presented the inspection report against the retired captain.
Chief of the investigation agency Abdul Hannan Khan said, ‘It is the first time, an investigation report has been filed against any Bengali army officer working in the Pakistan Army during the War of Liberation in 1971. After the liberation war, Captain (retd) Mohammad Shahidullah didn’t join the Bangladesh Army and no record was found from the archive of Bangladesh Army.
A senior member of the investigation agency, Sanaul Haq said, ‘On July 24 last year, in response to an allegation, ICT issued a warrant against the accused on August 02. On that day, Comilla district police arrested him. On August 03, accused was placed before the tribunal and he was ordered to be sent to jail. Now the accused is in the jail.
On October 11, 2015, the investigation against the accused started. The investigation agency submitted the final report after more than one and a half years of investigation. Three charges have been filed against the accused. The total witness of the case is 21.
The report read that the accused Captain Mohammad Shahidullah (75) was in the Pak army before the start of the liberation war. When the war was started, he joined in the Dhaka Cantonment. After that, he joined in the Comilla cantonment from Dhaka and set up a camp in Daudkandi Sadar. During the liberation war (1971), he committed crimes against humanity including confinement, torture, abduction, looting, arson and killing during the war.