Dhaka: In yet another shocking move, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted expelled Awami League leader Mobarak Hossain in a war crime case, overturning the death sentence given by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of the country in 2014, local media reported.
In 2014, Mobarak was slapped with charges of crimes against humanity during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. Among the five charges brought against Mobarak Hossain, two were proven. He was given the death penalty for one and sentenced to life imprisonment for the other.
A five-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed delivered the verdict following the hearing of an appeal against the ICT’s ruling, enraging several in the South Asian nation who questioned the verdict.
In December 2014, Mubarak filed an appeal to the Appellate Division challenging the death sentence handed down by the ICT.
Later, the hearing on his appeal began on July 8, and following another hearing on July 22, the Appellate Division set July 30 as the date for the verdict.
Senior lawyers SM Shahjahan and Imran A Siddique represented Mubarak, while prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim appeared on behalf of ICT during the hearing.
Speaking to leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo, following the verdict, senior lawyer Shahjahan said, “The tribunal sentenced Mubarak to death on charge number 1 and life imprisonment on charge number 3. He has been acquitted of both charges. The tribunal’s verdict has been quashed. There is no obstacle to his release if there are no other cases.”
As per the ICT, Mobarak was responsible for the killing of 33 people in Tanmandail and Jangail villages under Akhaura Police Station and the murder of Abdul Khalek in Shatyan village of Bangladesh.
The tribunal’s ruling also indicated that he was associated with the radical Islamist Party Jamaat-e-Islami during the Liberation War.
Mobarak worked as the organising secretary of the Mogra Union unit of the Awami League in Brahmanbaria’s Akhaura Upazila until 2012. Later, he was expelled from the party.
He was also a member of the radical Islamist Party Jamaat-e-Islami before joining the Awami League.
He is the second war crime convict who has been acquitted of his charges, following the recent release of Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam, who was jailed for nearly 13 years for war crimes.
Earlier in May, Azharul Islam walked free out of prison following the Supreme Court’s acquittal of his death sentence.
Jamaat was one of the radical forces that were given a free hand in Bangladesh after the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government assumed power following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
(IANS)
