Mobarak Hossain, a former Awami League leader of Akhaura, Brahmanbaria.
A Bangladesh tribunal on Tuesday framed charges against Mobarak Hossain, known as a leader of Awami League, the ruling party, for wartime offences.
Mobarak, a former organising secretary of a union parishad unit of AL in Akhaura upazila of Brahmanbaria for 16 years till 2012, is facing five charges.
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 is dealing with charges include murder, abduction, torture and confinement of people in Brahmanbaria and Akhaura during the 1971 Liberation War.
Mobarak, now detained in Dhaka Central Jail, pleaded not guilty while the charges were read out to him.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir also fixed May 16 for starting opening statement of the prosecutor.
On that day, the tribunal will also examine the list of prosecution witnesses.
The tribunal also asked the defence to submit a list of their witnesses and documents, if they have any, within the time.
Before passing the indictment order, the tribunal also rejected the bail petition of Mobarak in the war crimes case.
On February 25, prosecution submitted formal war crimes charges against Mobarak.
Shyamol Chowdhury, investigation officer of the case, earlier told The Daily Star that Mobarak was a member of the Peace Committee of Akhaura.
Mobarak later became a Razakar commander in Brahmanbaria, Shyamol added.
Shyamol said Mobarak was the commander of two Razakar camps, Anandamoye-Kalibari Camp and Suhilpur Union Parishad Camp, during the Liberation War.
He said Abdul Khalek, father of Khodeja Begum, was a pro-liberation Ansar member and he was abducted when he was on his way to see his sick grandparents.
Khalek was tortured at Suhilpur Union Parishad Razakar Camp before Mobarak shot him dead at Bakailghat beside the Titas river.
He said Mobarak’s name was on the list of Razakars kept at the deputy commissioner officer of Brahmanbaria.
Khodeja Begum had filed a case with Brahmanbaria court in 2009, which was later transferred to ICT-1.
Source: The Daily Star
