The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has acquitted Khan Akram Hossain of Bagerhat in a case involving crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
The Verdict
On Thursday morning (February 26), a bench of the Appellate Division, led by the Chief Justice, announced the verdict. The court made this decision following the conclusion of the appeal hearing against the death penalty previously handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). With this ruling, the previous maximum sentence (death penalty) has been overturned.
Case Background
Earlier, on November 30, 2023, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced seven individuals, including Khan Akram, to death. The other convicts are:Sheikh Mohammad Ukil Uddin, Md. Makbul Mollah, Khan Ashraf Ali, Rustam Ali Mollah, Sheikh Idris Ali, Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Babul Of the convicts, the first three (including Khan Akram) were in custody, while the remaining four have been absconding since the beginning of the case. The Tribunal formally took the charges into account and began the trial on May 31, 2017.
Specific Allegations
The case records listed seven specific counts of crimes against humanity against the accused, including:
- May 26, 1971: An attack in Morelganj, Bagerhat, involving looting, arson, and the shooting of 10 pro-liberation individuals.
- July 1971: The abduction and murder of four people in Kachua, whose bodies were dumped in a canal.
November 1971: Two separate operations resulting in the deaths of two freedom fighters and four civilians. - Abduction and Sexual Violence: The abduction and murder of a man from Udankhali village, followed by the prolonged detention, torture, and rape of his daughter at a Razakar camp.
- Persecution of Minorities: An attack on the Hindu community at Gazalia Bazar, resulting in one murder and the month-long physical torture of the victim’s wife.
Based on these allegations, the Tribunal originally awarded the death penalty. Following that judgment, the convicts moved to the higher court. After a lengthy legal review, the country’s apex court issued the order today to acquit Khan Akram.
