Noose for Mobarak

Md Mobarak Hossain has been sentenced to death for his war crimes committed in Brahmanbaria district during Bangladesh's independence struggles in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1, headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim, pronounced the judgment on Monday. Two among the five charges against the 64-year-old have been proved, the judges said in the 92-page judgment. He has been handed death for the killing of 33 civilians on the banks of Ganga Sagar Dighi at Akhaurha's Tanmandayl village on August 22, 1971. He was awarded life imprisonment for the abduction and murder of Abdul Khaleque of Satian village at Brahmanbaria. Mobarak clad in a white Panjabi was produced in the courtroom at 11:10am on Monday. Born in Akhaura Upazila of B'baria, Mubarak, a businessman, is named in the district administration's list of Pakistani Army's collaborators in Brahmanbaria. He became a Rokon of Jamaat-e-Islami after independence. Later he joined Awami League and was expelled from the party three years back. Mobarak was brought to ICT-1 set up at Old High Court beside the National Eidgah in High Court area around 9:20am from Dhaka Central Jail amid tight security. The prison van carrying Mobarak reached the court area with police and RAB guarding the court premises, according to a news agency.