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Fugitive War Crimes Convicts

Probe body asks for action committee

TUHIN SHUBHRA ADHIKARY and Mahbubur Rahman Khan
The war crimes investigation agency has proposed setting up a monitoring cell to bring back the fugitive convicts and help the police headquarters in executing the verdicts of international crimes tribunal.
The cell, led by the home secretary, would be composed of the representatives from
law enforcement and intelligence agencies and ministries.
The proposal was made in a letter sent to the home ministry on January 30 and signed by Sanaul Huq, a senior member of the investigation body.
"The monitoring cell will make a concerted effort to bring them [convicts] back after examining legal and other issues," Sanaul told The Daily Star yesterday.
He mentioned an inter-ministerial committee was formed to get the fugitive killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman extradited.
The same way, this monitoring cell will work to know the whereabouts of the fugitives and oversee the process of their execution.
On January 21, 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 passed a death sentence for expelled Jamaat member Abul Kalam Azad, also known as Bachchu Razakar, for committing crimes against humanity and genocide during the Liberation War, 19 71.
He had gone into hiding hours before the tribunal issued his arrest warrant on April 3, 2012.
On November 3 last year, the tribunal handed down death penalty to Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan for the killing of 18 intellectuals during the
war.
Mueen and Ashraf have been living in UK and US for last few decades. Bangladesh has no extradition treaty with the two countries.
Faridpur BNP leader Zahid Hossain Khokon is also being tried in absentia by the Tribunal-2. He is reportedly living in Sweden.
In the letter, the probe body said the tribunal directed the inspector general of police (IGP) to execute the verdicts, but it was "almost impossible" without the assistance of other ministries and agencies.
The execution of the verdicts is much discussed among victim families, civil society members and in foreign and local media. There is a lot of public interest about the issue, especially the execution of the two convicted killers of intellectuals, it said.
"But the officials of the investigation agency, prosecutors and even the officials of the law and home ministries cannot provide correct information as they are not fully
aware of the latest developments."
In this context, a monitoring cell should be formed to help the police headquarters and oversee the processes for execution, the letter read.
The eight-member cell will include the IGP, foreign secretary, director general of DGFI or his representative, director general of NS1 or his representative, representatives of the chief prosecutor of the tribunal and the investigation agency.
Additional secretary (political) of home ministry will work as the member secretary of the cell, as per the proposal.
Sanaul Huq added an additional proposal will be placed to include a representative from the law ministry.
Contacted, Senior Home Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed said they were examining its possible organogram. The cell will be formed any time, he added.