International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) handed down death sentence to former Jamaat leader and lawmaker Mohammad Abdul Aziz alias Ghoramara Aziz and five others for their crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 in Gaibandha.

A three-member ICT bench led by the tribunal’s Chairman Mohammad Shahinur Islam delivered the verdict at about 11:45am on Wednesday. The other two members of the bench are Justic Mohammad Suhrawardi and Justice Abu Ahmed Jomadar.

The other convicts are Mohammad Ruhul Amin alias Manju, in his sixties, Mohammad Abdul Latif, around 61 years, Abu Muslim Mohammad Ali, in his fifties, Mohammad Nazmul Huda, around 60s, and Mohammad Abdur Rahim Mia, in his sixties.

Among the convicts, Mohammad Abdul Latif is in the jail and five others are absconding.

Earlier, on 21 November, the tribunal fixed Wednesday for declaring the verdict.

On 23 October, the tribunal kept the verdict pending for any day after concluded the hearing of arguments from both sides on the trial of six alleged war criminals

After hearing the law-point arguments from both the prosecution and the defence lawyers, the three-member ICT, led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam, passed the order in presence of the only one accused Abdul Latif.

Meanwhile, five other accused including former Jamaat lawmaker Mohammad Abdul Aziz alias Ghoramara Aziz from Gaibandha, remained absconding.

Prosecution lawyers Syed Saidul Haque presented arguments during the hearing while Gazi MH Tamim argued for five fugitive accused and Khandaker Rezaul Karim stood for lone detained defendant.

The six accused are Jamaat leader and former lawmaker Abdul Aziz, Md Ruhul Amin alias Monju, Md Abdul Latif, Abu Muslim Mohammad Ali, Md Nazmul Huda, and Md Abdur Rahim Miah.

Earlier on May 9, the ICT was kept the verdict pending for any day after hearing arguments from both sides.

Later on Oct 12, the reconstructed ICT set October 22 for placing further arguments in crimes against humanity case against the six alleged war criminals.

The ICT-1 on June 28, 2016, started trial of the case after indicted the accused, framing three charges of crimes against humanity against them.

The accused six are facing three charges, including those for mass killing, abduction, looting and arson attack, during the 1971 Liberation War.