The prosecution yesterday sought capital punishment for war crimes accused Syed Mohammad Qaisar and prayed to the International Crimes Tribunal-2 to order him to compensate a war child and her mother who are still reeling from the ordeal they faced in 19 71.

A war child, who was among the 32 prosecution witnesses, in her testimony narrated how she had been going through social stigma since her birth in 1972. Her mother described before the three-member tribunal how Qaisar had handed her over to an army camp during the Liberation War.

"Forced pregnancy is similar to genocide," said prosecutor Tureen Afroz on the last day of the prosecution's closing arguments.

“It (forced pregnancy) was orchestrated in a bid to annihilate Bangladeshi identity,” she added.

The prosecutor argued that the woman could be shot dead after seven to eight days of confinement and rape at the army camp. "Instead of killing her, they released the woman so that she could bring a new race," Tureen said, adding, women were used as an instrument to fulfil their plan.

"The war was over 42 years ago. But the war heroines and the war children are still fighting against the society and it will go on," the prosecutor observed.

She then prayed to the tribunal to order Qaisar to compensate if he was proved guilty of facilitating rape.

Tribunal Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan asked the prosecutor how they would order for compensation if Qaisar was awarded capital punishment after evaluation of evidence.

Tureen suggested that the tribunal could order compensation for the victims from the accused's property.

Around three million people were killed and more than a quarter million women violated during the nine-month-long bloody war that started on March 26,1971.

The defence began placing their closing arguments after the prosecution had completed their part yesterday.

Former state minister Qaisar faces 16 charges for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity and genocide during the war.

The proceedings of the case were adjourned until Sunday when the defence are expected to continue with their closing arguments.

TRIBUNAL-1

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 sent war crimes suspect Sirajul Hoque alias Siraj Master to jail after he was hauled before the court yesterday morning.

The three-member tribunal also asked the prosecution to submit a progress report of the ongoing investigation against three suspects including Sirajul in a war crimes case on August 20.

Two others -- Khan Akram Hossain and Abdul Latif Talukder -have already been arrested.

The tribunal yesterday accepted a prayer of the prosecution after they had filed an application for interrogating Sirajul at a safe home.

In reply to a question, the septuagenarian war crimes suspect told the tribunal that he had no financial ability to appoint a lawyer and wanted to conduct the case on his own.

Earlier in 2009, war crimes victim and freedom fighter Nimai Chandra Das of Raghuduttakathi village filed a case against 20-30 people, including Sirajul, Akram and Abdul Latif, with a Bagerhat court after the government had initiated war crimes trial.

The case was later shifted to the tribunal-1 and an agency started its investigation into the allegations on May 21,2013.

Sirajul was arrested in Dema Union Parishad of Bagerhat on July 21 following an order of the tribunal.