Ghulam Azam 'had no commanding responsibility' over '71 atrocities

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A defence counsel on Sunday said the designated investigator had failed to produce any cogent evidence against war crimes accused Ghulam Azam as a member of Peace Committee in 1971 that he had taken part in any operation in collaboration with the occupation Pakistan army, reports UNB. "Investigator Additional SP Matiur Rahman didn't bring up any such criminal act involving Ghulam Azam, then Jama'at-e-Islami ameer in occupied Bangladesh, before the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1," said defence counsel Mizanul Islam while submitting his arguments for the seventh day. A specific criminal charge against the accused must be revealed before the court as it is the requirement of judicial process, he said, adding that sweeping allegations against an accused in a criminal case do not carry any legal value. The defence counsel told the tribunal that the charge against Ghulam Azam of killing intellectuals during the liberation war appeared contradictory. Referring to a book edited by noted journalist Shahriar Kabir, the defence counsel said Ghulam Azam had provoked killing intellectuals while a televised programme, titled 'Ranangganer Dingulo' anchored by valiant freedom fighter Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu did not bring any allegation against Ghulam Azam for planning the blueprint of the intellectual killing. Quoting the updated International Crimes Tribunal Rules of Procedure, defence counsel Mizanul Islam said now the burden of proving the charge of intellectuals’ killing against Ghulam Azam lies upon the prosecution. "The defence has no liability in this connection." The defence counsel termed contradictory the documents submitted by the prosecution before the tribunal in support of the charges of crimes against humanity allegedly perpetrated by Ghulam Azam during the liberation war.