Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Kamaruzzaman awarded death penalty

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) on Thursday sentenced Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman to death as he was found guilty of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The three-member tribunal, comprising its chairman justice Obaidul Hassan, justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and judge Md Shahinur Islam, convicted the Jamaat leader in connection with five, out of seven, charges.
Of these five charges, Kamaruzzaman was awarded the death penalty for charges three and four. He was awarded lifelong imprisonment in connection with charges one and seven and a 10-year jail term for charge two. Kamaruzzaman, assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, was acquitted over charges five and six.
The three members of the tribunal unanimously delivered the judgment against Kamaruzzaman.
Earlier, the same tribunal handed down the death penalty to Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar and sentenced to life imprisonment the other assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, Abdul Quader Mollah, for their participation in crimes against humanity in 1971.
Nayeb-e-ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, was also awarded capital punishment by the ICT-1.
In the order, justice Hassan said the accused, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, was found guilty of the offences of “crimes against humanity” enumerated in Section 3(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, in connection with the charges 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7.
“He is convicted and condemned to a single sentence of death for the charges three and four. He will be hanged by the neck till he is dead,” he said.
Kamaruzzaman was convicted and condemned to a single sentence of imprisonment for life for charges one and seven, he said, and the Jamaat leader was sentenced to 10 years over charge two. “As the convict Kamaruzzaman is sentenced to death over two charges, the sentence of imprisonment for life and the sentence of imprisonment for 10 years will naturally get merged into the death sentence,” the chairman stated. The punishments were given under Section 20(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, he added.
Regarding the role of Jamaat-e-Islami, the tribunal said the potential religion-based political party was the brainchild of Mawlana Sayyid Abu’l-A’la Mawdudi. It had been significantly proactive in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation army in carrying out its mission of wiping out the Bengali nation. It stood firmly against the War of Liberation in 1971 in the name of shielding Pakistan. Al-Badr was formed mainly of workers of its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the order added.
Earlier, Kamaruzzaman was brought to the tribunal from Quashimpur prison in the morning before the tribunal had started the proceedings at around 11am.
Clad in a white shirt and black trousers, most of the time he sat in the dock. Judge Md Shahinur Islam started reading out the judgment at 11:20am at the jam-packed tribunal chamber and took about two-and-a-half hours to complete the delivery of the verdict.
The 62-page summarised version of the verdict was read out by the three judges. Justice Hassan pronounced the final part of the judgment.
Kamaruzzaman stood up inside the dock at the instant the verdict was delivered and said, “Wrong judgment, wrong judgment. History will not forgive…” But the on-duty policemen were quick to take him into the tribunal’s custody, giving Kamaruzzaman no chance to speak further.
Soon after the verdict was delivered, Kamaruzzaman’s son, Hasan Iqbal, told reporters that his father has been deprived of justice. “The allegations against him (Kamaruzzaman) are false and baseless. He is a victim of the political vengeance of the Awami League-led government,” he said.
Chief prosecutor Golam Arief Tippo, however, said: “People were eagerly waiting for such a judgment. The verdict sentencing Kamaruzzaman to death has proved that the prosecution team has duly done its job.”
“We are satisfied with the judgment and the judges of the tribunal have delivered the verdict against Jamaat leader Kamaruzzaman very competently,” he said.
Rejecting the verdict, the chief defence counsel for Jamaat leaders, Barrister Abdur Razzaq, said, “We are stunned. We had feared such a judgment. It is a verdict of a very low standard.”
He alleged that the prosecution has completely failed to prove the war crimes cases that were brought against Jamaat leader Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, as one of the prosecution witnesses, Mohon Munshi, gave a self-contradictory deposition against Kamaruzzaman.
“In accordance with the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, Kamaruzzaman, a boy of 18 years during the Liberation War, should be acquitted of all cases that were brought against him,” he said.
He, however, added that they will file an appeal challenging the verdict with the Supreme Court after forming a highly qualified defence team.
Kamaruzzaman, the son of late Insan Ali Sarker, was born in Sherpur district on July 4, 1952. He began his activities in student politics as a supporter of the ICS, the students’ wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, in 1967 when he was a student of class X at Sherpur GKM Institution.
He was the secretary of a hall unit of ICS at Jamalpur Ashek Mahmud Degree College when he was a degree student. He held the post of office secretary of East Pakistan ICS. He played a key role in the formation of Al Badr in the greater Mymensingh area as an ICT leader during the Liberation War.
Under the leadership of Kamaruzzaman, all the students belonging to ICS in the greater Mymensingh area were absorbed into Al Badr.
As he was closely associated with the Pakistani army, he actively aided, abetted, facilitated and substantially contributed towards committing dreadful atrocities in the greater Mymensingh territory in 1971.
The prosecution submitted formal charges against Kamaruzzaman to the tribunal-1 on January 15, 2012, implicating him in connection with nine allegations. The tribunal took the charges into cognizance on January 31 the same year.
Kamaruzzaman’s case was transferred to the tribunal-2 following the request of the chief prosecutor on April 16 last year.
The tribunal-2 framed seven charges against Kamaruzzaman on June 4 for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity including murder, torture, rape, arson, confinement and deportation during the Liberation War.
A total of 18 prosecution witnesses, including investigation officer Abdur Razzaq Khan, gave their depositions against Kamaruzzaman, while five defence witnesses appeared to testify for the Jamaat leader.
The tribunal kept the verdict pending, announcing court adjourned verdict (CAV) after the legal proceedings ended on April 16.
Kamaruzzaman was arrested in connection with a case of mass killing on July 13, 2010.
He was shown arrested by the ICT in connection with the allegations of crimes against humanity on August 2 the same year.
Barrister Abdur Razzaq, Advocate Kafiluddin Chowdhury and Barrister Ehsan Siddque appeared for Kamaruzzaman during the proceedings. But none of them were present during the judgement.
On behalf of prosecution Advocate Ghulam Arieff Tipoo, Advocate AKM Saiful Islam, Advocate Tureen Afroz and Advocate Noorjahan Mukta took part in the proceedings. All of them were present during the verdict delivery.
Charges:
Charge 1: A group of Al-Badr members, under the leadership of Kamaruzzaman, picked up Badiuzzaman of Ramnagar village under Jhenaigati upazila in Sherpur on June 29, 1971. They took him to Ahammednagar army camp. The Al Badr men shot him dead on the following day.
Kamaruzzaman was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Charge 2: Kamaruzzaman and his accomplices tortured and molested Syed Abdul Hannan, the principal of Sherpur College, in public. They forced him to walk naked through the town while he was constantly whipped for his pro-Liberation stand in mid-May, 1971.
Kamaruzzaman was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Charge 3: The members of Al Badr and Razakars carried out mass killings in association with the Pakistani occupation army under the guidance of Kamaruzzaman in Sohaghpur village of Nalitabari upazila in Sherpur on July 25, 1971. They killed 120 unarmed civilians, including a number of women, who were also raped by the anti-Liberation elements.
Kamaruzzaman was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Charge 4: A group of collaborators took Golam Mostafa Talukder to an Al-Badr camp set up at the house of Surendra Mohon Saha in Sherpur on Kamaruzzaman’s instructions on August 23, 1971. Kamaruzzaman and his accomplices fired shots at Mostafa and one Abul Kasem. Kasem survived with bullet injuries in his fingers as he had jumped into a river, but Mostafa died on the spot.
Kamaruzzaman was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Charge 5: Kamaruzzaman and his followers picked up Liaquat Ali and Mujibur Rahman Panu from their respective houses. They took them to a Razakar camp and tortured them during the month of Ramadan. After four days, they, along with 11 other civilians, were taken to the Ahammednagar army camp at Jhenaigati on Kamaruzzaman’s instructions. Later, eight of them, including Liaquat, were shot dead. Kamaruzzaman and his aide Kamran were present during the killing.
Kamaruzzaman was found not guilty and acquitted.
Charge 6: Some Al Badr members, under Kamaruzzaman’s instructions, abducted Tunu and one Jahangir from Golki Bari, Mymensingh, and took them to the Dak Bungalow in November 1971. Tunu was tortured to death, while Jahangir was detained. Later, Jahangir was released.
Kamaruzzaman was found not guilty and acquitted.
Charge 7: Kamaruzzaman, accompanied by 15-20 armed Al Badr members, picked up one Tepa Mia and his elder son, Zahurul Islam Dara, from Golapjan Road in Mymensingh on Ramadan 27 in 1971. They were taken to the Al Badr camp at the Dak Bungalow. The next morning, Tepa Mia and his son, along with five others, were taken to the bank of the Brahmaputra river. Tepa Mia managed to escape by jumping into the river, but the others were killed on the spot.
Kamaruzzaman was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.

-With The Independent input

Related News

Poor pay, allowances of teachers affect education

World Teacher’s Day today Shahin Akhter Poor pay-scale and allowances and low social status mark the poor condition of the teachers in Bangladesh affecting the education sector, observed educationists and researchers. They also said that the Bangladeshi teachers were lagging much behind their fellows even in the neighbouring countries in terms of these facilities and ... Read more

Protecting hilsa: 22-day fishing ban begins

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government has put a 22-day halt on catching, transporting, storing, selling, and marketing hilsa throughout the country. This measure aims to protect the fish during its crucial breeding season. The ban started at midnight yesterday and will last until October 25, as stated in a notification from the Ministry of ... Read more

Road fatalities: 446 crashes, 417 lives lost in September

News Desk : dhakamirror.com In September, a tragic report from the Road Safety Foundation revealed that at least 417 people lost their lives and 682 were injured in 446 road accidents throughout Bangladesh. Among those who died, there were 63 women and 47 children, as highlighted in the foundation’s monthly report released today. In 151 ... Read more

Man’s fatal fall into Ramna Park lake

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A tragic incident occurred yesterday at Ramna Park in the capital, where a man drowned in the lake. The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Wasimul Haq. The police were able to identify him using fingerprint records. According to Ramna police SI Mizanur Rahman, he was discovered unconscious around 6:00 PM ... Read more

Tariff Commission’s size-based hilsa pricing strategy

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC), also known as the Tariff Commission, has suggested setting a maximum retail price for hilsa based on its size. This recommendation comes in response to the unusual spike in prices seen in the local market. On Sunday, the Tariff Commission released a report detailing ... Read more

Ekushey Book Fair won’t happen in December

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangla Academy announced yesterday (28 September), that the previously scheduled dates for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 have been postponed. In a press release, they explained that this decision was made following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 21, which indicated that the fair should ... Read more

Working in Bangladesh is quite challenging: CEC

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Election Commission is grappling with a mix of challenges, both seen and unseen, as it gears up for the upcoming elections and responds to various demands, shared chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday. “These hurdles might not be apparent from the outside, but we’re constantly navigating through them,” ... Read more

Travel ban on Keokradong hill to be lifted starting from 1 October

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Great news for travelers! Keokradong hill in Bandarban’s Ruma upazila is set to welcome tourists again starting October 1. The district administration has finally lifted the travel ban that had been in effect for almost three years. Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shamim Ara Rini announced the decision today (27 September) during ... Read more

Tree planting campaign to lower pollution, make city more attractive

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Shahjahan Mia has inaugurated a tree plantation and greening programme covering 33 road medians, spanning a total length of 31 kilometres, within the corporation’s jurisdiction. Under the “Zero Soil” programme, ornamental flowering trees and grasses will be planted across 28 DSCC medians, while the ... Read more

Krishi Bank ranks third in remittance collection

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Krishi Bank has shown remarkable success in collecting remittances from expatriates during the first eight months of 2025 (January–August). Known as bank for farmers due to its agricultural loan services, this state-owned institution has climbed to the third position in remittance collection from abroad in that timeframe. This notable achievement has ... Read more

North Bay low : Rain forecast for Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Many parts of the country is expected to witness moderate to heavy and very heavy rainfall in the coming days due to the formation of a low-pressure system over the north Bay and adjoining coastal areas, the Met office said in its latest forecast. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s 120-hour weather ... Read more

Metrorail boosts service: Extended hours & more frequent arrivals

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka metrorail service is set to start operating earlier in the morning and later at night to better serve the growing number of passengers. Service hours will be extended by 30 minutes at both the beginning and end of the day, and the interval between trains will be reduced by nearly ... Read more

22% minors in Bangladesh’s sex trade

News Desk : dhakamirror.com At least 22 percent of victims of commercial sexual exploitation (abuse of a person, or a minor, through sexual activities in exchange for money, goods, or other benefits) in Bangladesh are children, said speakers at an event yesterday. They shared the information at the launch of “Project Shurakkha”, an initiative of ... Read more

WB Reports Bangladesh Heat Costs at $1.78 Billion in 2024

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Rising temperatures in Bangladesh are fueling a surge in heat-related illnesses, leading to the loss of 250 million workdays in 2024 and economic losses estimated at $1.33–1.78 billion, representing about 0.3 to 0.4 percent of Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, according to a new World Bank report. The report ... Read more

Police clearance no longer required for passports

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced that police verification will no longer be necessary for obtaining a passport, thereby reducing unnecessary hassle for citizens. “Getting a passport is a basic right. We have established a rule that eliminates the need for police verification,” he stated. While speaking at the opening session ... Read more

Metro rail achieves record 4 lakh daily passengers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Metro Rail has achieved a remarkable milestone by carrying over 400,000 passengers in a single day. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the Metro Rail, announced this achievement on their official Facebook page on Friday night. For the first time, Metro Rail recorded 403,164 passengers. The Metro Rail ... Read more

Most people, about 66% think civil servants behave as if they are rulers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com More than 100,000 participants have contributed their responses to reform commission’s online survey 80% of the respondents believe that the administration is not approachable for the general public, according to a survey conducted by the Public Administration Reform Commission. Additionally, 66% of participants feel that civil servants act as if they ... Read more

Former Justice Abdur Rouf dies

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Former Chief Election Commissioner Justice Md Abdur Rouf has passed away at the age of 91. He died around 10:00 am while receiving treatment at Insaf Barakah Kidney and General Hospital in Dhaka, as stated in a press release. Justice Rouf had been battling heart disease, lung complications, kidney issues, and ... Read more

Bangladesh climbed 4 positions to rank 93rd in global passport index

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh has climbed four notches up in the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, ranking 93rd out of 99. However, the number of visa-free destinations for Bangladeshi passport holders has dropped from 42 in 2024 to 39 this year, reflecting a decline in global travel privileges. Despite this improvement in rank — ... Read more

BBS Findings show Madaripur most poverty-stricken district, Noakhali least

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Madaripur has the highest poverty rate in the country, with 54.4% of its population living below the upper poverty line. The district’s upazilas are also significantly affected by poverty, with Dasar upazila reporting a poverty rate of 63.2%, as per a survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). BBS ... Read more