DHAKA, Sept 13, 2022 (BSS) - The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 today sentenced Al-Badr commander Mohammad Khalilur Rahman from Durgapur Upazilla of Netrokona to death in a case of crimes against humanity.

The three-judge panel of ICT-1 headed by Justice Md Shahinur Islam pronounced the judgment against the fugitive convict this morning.

The first tribunal on September 11 set today for pronouncing judgment in the case. The tribunal on July 18, 2022, had kept the trial on CAV, curia advisory vault (a Latin legal term, meaning court awaits judgment) as both the prosecution and defence concluded their legal arguments in the case on that day.

There were initially five accused in the case, Mohammad Khalilur Rahman, Md Azizur Rahman, Ashok Ali, Md Shahnewaj and Ramjan Ali. Of the five, all but Khalilur, were arrested by the police. Ramjan died in police custody on September 30, 2016, while the case was on investigation stage.

The tribunal on March 12, 2018, framed five charges against the four accused. But the three arrested accused died of old age in custody, leaving Khalilur as the sole accused in the case.

Khalilur, who was a member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, in 1971, joined the locally formed Razakar Bahini. Subsequently, he became the commander of the local Al-Badr Bahini and committed heinous crimes against humanity in the locality.