Bangladesh: ICT-1 decision on Jabbar trial in absentia on Tuesday

Dhaka, July 7, 2014 (New Age): The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday set Tuesday to decide on whether it would hold the trial of absconding Pirojpur war crimes suspect engineer Abdul Jabbar, a former Jatiya Party MP in absentia. The tribunal on June 12 asked it’s registrar to publish notices in two well circulated national dailies asking 82-year old Jabbar to surrender before it. Prosecutor Zahid Imam submitted that the notices were published by two national dailies and Jabbar was yet to surrender. He submitted that since the accused was  absconding he could be tried in absentia as the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 stipulates. The prosecutor pleaded to begin his trial ate in-absentia. According to the prosecution, Jabbar from  Khetachhira, Mathbaria in Pirojpur, has been absconding since 2009. The War Crimes Investigation Agency submitted its probe report against the accused on April 29, he said. He said that the investigation agency found incriminating evidences of his complicity in killings, genocide, arson, looting and forcible conversion of many Hindus in then Mathbaria thana of Pirojpur subdivision in 1971. On May 12, the tribunal took cognizance of his five 1971 war crimes offences and issued the warrant to arrest him. In 1971,  Jabbar was chairman of thana Peace Committee and he organised Razakar Bahini in Mathbaria, according to the prosecution.