ICT-1 reading out Nizami verdict

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 started reading out the 204-page verdict in the war crimes cases against septuagenarian Jamaat-e-Islami leader Matiur Rahman Nizami on Wednesday morning. Presiding judge Justice M Enayetur Rahim began with preliminary remarks before handing over to Justice Anwarul Haque to read through the introduction of summery of the verdict. He will be followed by Justice Jahangir Hossain, who will read the observations of the court. Tribunal Chairman Justice Enayetur Rahim is expected to read out the judgment and sentencing at the end. If convicted, Nizami, also the former industries minister, might be sentenced to death. He, however, has already been given death penalty in the Chittagong 10-truck arms haul case in January this year. Earlier, Nizami was taken to the ICT-1 situated at Old High Curt building in the city from Dhaka Central Jail around 9:20am amid tight security. The 71-year-old is facing 16 war crimes charges, including killings, rape, arsons and looting, the crimes he allegedly committing during the country’s independence struggles in 1971. Security has been beefed up in and around the court premises to ward off violence centring the pronouncement of the verdict. BGB troops have been deployed in the city. Members of law enforcing agencies including police and Rapid Action Battalion have taken position at all the entries of the tribunal and on the rooftop of the adjacent buildings. Transport movement has been halted from Doel Chattar to High Court Mazar since morning ahead of the verdict, according to private TV channels.