Mir Quasem Ali indicted

DHAKA: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 framed charge against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali bringing 14 allegations of war crimes.

The three-member ICT led-by ATM Fazle Kabir passed the order Thursday and fixed September 30 for opening statement.

Earlier on May 26, the ICT-1 took the formal charges against the Jamaat leader.

On May 16, the prosecution submitted formal charge against Mir Quasem Ali, central leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and chairman of Diganta Media Corporation, before International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1.

A total of 14 allegations including murder, abduction, torture, arson, looting and body dumping were brought against him.

State prosecutor Advocate Jeyad Al Malum submitted the formal charge at International Crimes Tribunal Registrar office.

As per formal allegations, Mir Quasem Ali was commander of Al-Badr (a group which assisted then Pakistani occupation army) of Chittagong town during the Liberation War in 1971. Al Badr, Al-Shams and Razakar forces led-by Quasem conducted killing there.

Amongst the allegations, Pakistani army personnel and their local collaborators including Mir Quasem set up the torture cell at Dalim Hotel on Nazir Ahmed Chowdhury lane and killing in Asadnagar and Panchlaish areas of the port city.

Prosecution sources said a total of 1, 635-page documents was submitted including 92-page formal charges and 83-page statement of witnesses.

Besides, the prosecution also submitted two Compact Disk (CDs), a DVD and a video CD with different evidence in support of the allegations against the Jamaat leader.