1971 War Crimes: Khan Akram Hossain Walks Free After Appeal Verdict
The Appellate Division has acquitted Khan Akram Hossain of Bagerhat, overturning his life imprisonment sentence in a 1971 war crimes case.
A five-member Appellate Bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury delivered the verdict on Thursday, allowing Akram’s appeal.
Earlier, in 2015, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 had sentenced Rajakar leader Sheikh Sirajul Haque, also known as Siraj Master, to death and Khan Akram Hossain to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity.
Akram was sentenced to life imprisonment for the detention, torture, and killing of freedom fighter Fazlur Rahman in Teligati under Morrelganj Police Station. He had filed an appeal against that verdict.
Along with Sirajul Haque and Khan Akram Hossain, another Rajakar member named Abdul Latif Talukdar was accused in the case. However, he was dropped from the case after his death due to age-related illness on 27 July 2015, before the verdict was delivered.
Earlier, on 5 November 2014, the tribunal had formally begun the trial of the three accused by framing charges.
After the prosecution’s opening statement on 2 December, witness testimony began, and by 24 March of the following year, a total of 32 witnesses, including the investigation officer Helal Uddin, had testified in the case.
Of the seven charges, six named Sirajul Haque, also known as Siraj Master, as the accused. One charge named only Akram and Latif, while two charges named all three accused together.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the International Crimes Tribunal delivered its verdict on 11 August 2015.
