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Hanging of 12 for killing President Zia

JS body to review documents of military tribunal

Star Report
For the first time in the country’s history, documents and proceedings of the military tribunal that hanged 12 army officers for their alleged involvement in the killing of President Ziaur Rahman In a coup In 1981 will be scnitlnlsed by a parliamentary sub-committee.
The major decision was taken yesterday at a meeting of the Sub-Committee of Parliamentary Standing on Ministry of Defence.
The sub-committee had been persuading the government for the last four years to make available the documents of the trial. The government had so far refused to give the documents.
Finally, the Defence Ministry yesterday agreed to provide the sub-committee with documents on trial of four army officers at its next meeting scheduled for July 27. Two of the officers were hanged and the rest were Jailed.
The sub-committee will review the documents and ascertain whether the trials were fair and justice was dispensed. It will also summon the armed forces officials who had defended the four officers In the tribunal to find out whether they were under pressure from higher authorities during the trial.
“This Is a major achievement in the history of parliamentary democracy as we have been able to establish that all
activities of the armed forces are controlled by the constitution and the parliament." said Maj (Rtd) Akhtaruzzaman. a member of the sub committee. "We received applications from relatives of the four army officers who were condemned by the military tribunal.” he told The Dally Star after the meeting.
In their applications, widows of Col Rashid and Col Del-war claimed that their hus-bands were Innocent and that were hanged without proper trial. Widows of two other officers — Maj Fazlul Huq and Maj Rezaul Karim who were sentenced to various jail terms — also appealed that their husbands were Innocent.
“We have broken the taboo that nobody can oversee the armed forces' affairs." said the BNP parliamentarian. "But today we have established authority of the parliament."
“It's a great achievement for us." said Col (Rtd) Faruq Khan, another member of the subcommittee. "This will pave the way for scrutiny of many more whimsical decisions of the armed forces during Ershad regime."
In Its meeting yesterday, the sub-committee also had a list of 22 army, navy and airforce officials who were allegedly victimised. The body reviewed some of these cases and felt that "great injustice" was done to them These cases will be further reviewed by the body.
The sub-committee will also review cases of two armed forces officials who were convicted for alleged Involvement In the attempted coup on October 1. 1977 when a Japanese Air Lines UAL) aircraft was hijacked to Dhaka airport.
Sub-Committee Chairman Col (Rtd) Shawkat All chaired the meeting while high civil and military officials were present.
Defence Secretary Idris All told The Daily Star last night that the government decided to send the documents to the subcommittee for the sake of transparency,
UNB adds: The committee yesterday also reviewed few other irregularities In the armed forces, including the cases of Wing Commander Nurul Islam. Md Waliullah, an employee of Ordinance Factory. Brig Glasuddin. Air Force Sergeant N K Azad. Col Didar and an application of Shabek
Sainik Sanghstha.
Wing Commander Nurul Islam was tried by a martial law court In 1988 for misusing money during the period 1975-77 and was dismissed
The Air Chief Informed the committee that following a mercy petition they had reviewed the case and process was on to retire Islam giving all benefits.
The committee also took up the case of Waliullah who was dismissed, along with 23 others, even after court acquitted them of the allegation brought by the ordnance factory management
Brig Glasuddin was sacked from the army in 1981. but the Ministry of Defence said they knew nothing about it while the Army Headquarters said he was dismissed following an order of the President. But there was no recommendation from the Army Chief.
Sergeant N K Azad was dismissed from the Air Force, even after a tribunal exonerated him from all charges. He was charged for his Involvement in 1977 Air Force mutiny. The sub-committee recommended reinstating him.
Col Didar was dismissed and sentenced to 10 years in jail for allegedly planning a coup to oust government in 1980.
In the meeting Maj Akhteruzzaman questioned if an army officer can seize state power, why another can t plan to resist that or plan some other things and suggested giving him retirement with all benefits.
However, the sub-committee of the Parliamentary Defence Committee In the meeting was quoted to have observed that "the armed forces were not abiding by the rules, regulations and Armed Forces Act. and running the Institutions as per their whims.’
Maj (retd) Akhter proposed that the defence committee should see and review whether the armed forces headquarters are functioning as per respective acts.