War crimes: Report finalised against first Pak soldier

Muhammad Shahidullah, a Bengali captain during the Liberation War, will be the first Pakistani Army personnel to face charges at the International Crimes Tribunal.

The 75-year-old has been linked to three incidents of crimes against humanity including murder, abduction, torture, arson and looting during the 1971 war, said the tribunal’s investigators at a press conference in Dhanmondi on Tuesday.

Shahidullah, from Amirabad village at Comilla’s Daudkanti, is accused of committing war crimes in his own locality.

He allegedly joined the invading Pakistani forces at Dhaka Cantonment after the war broke out. He set up a camp at Daudkandi Sadar after getting transferred from Dhaka to Comilla Cantonment.

Abdul Hannan Khan, chief coordinator for the investigation agency, said the Bangladesh Army does not have any record on Shahidullah because he did not join it after the war.

But the accused is still referred to as ‘the captain’ in his locality.

The investigation Shahidullah began on Oct 11, 2015, said Hannan.

“We have been investigating for one and half years. We will submit our report to the prosecution today.”

The International Crimes Tribunal granted a prosecution plea by issuing an arrest warrant against Shahidullah on Aug 2 last year. He was produced in court and sent to prison the next day.

Several other Bengali officers of the Pakistan Army are being investigated for war crimes, said Sanaul Haque, senior coordinator for the probe agency.

“We will not release their identities for the sake of investigation. But we hope to inform you one step at a time.”

Source: bdnews24