Dhaka: International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced Obaidul Haque Taher and Ataur Rahman Noni of Netrakona to death for their crimes against humanity during the war of liberation in 1971.

A three-member tribunal bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Anwarul Haque, delivered the verdict on Tuesday afternoon.

They faced six charges but two charges were not proven.

Earlier, the judges started to read out the verdict at about 10:00am.

The accused, Taher and Nani, were brought to the tribunal at about 9:00am from Dhaka central jail by a prison van.

On 10 January, closing the law-point arguments from both sides in the trial, the ICT kept pending its verdicts for any day.

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

In compliance with the tribunal order, police arrested Taher and Nani from Netrakona on 12 August last year.

Charges

First, Razakar commander Taher and his accomplice Nani accompanied by other accomplices and the Pakistan army on 17 August, 1971, attacked Baushi Bazar under Barhatta Police Station and looted valuables from around 450 shops and around 25 houses of the Hindus.

They detained and tortured up to eight people, including local Awami League leader Fazlur Rahman. All but Fazlur were released. Taher, Nani and their accomplices took Fazlur to Trimohoni Bridge and shot him dead.

Second, Razakars under the leadership of Taher on 4 October, 1971, caught footballer Dabir Hossain at Sree Sree Narosingh Jeur Akhra and took him to Zilla Parishad Bungalow where he was tortured. He was later shot dead near Moktarpara Bridge in Netrakona town.

Third, They accompanied by other accomplices and the Pakistan soldiers attacked Laufa village under Barhatta Police Station at about 2:30pm on 19 October, 1971, and detained 10 people. Seven of them were later shot dead while one survived with bullet injuries and two were freed. Their accomplices also raped several women.

Fourth, In May, 1971 the accused occupied one Moloy Biswas' home at Moktarpara and set up a razakar camp. The house owner later left Bangladesh for India fearing his life.

They also forcibly occupied the house of Sirish Chandra Sarker and set up an office of anti-liberation party Nezam-e-Islami for carrying out atrocious activities against the pro-liberation people. Sirish and his family members were forced to leave the country.

Fifth, Between 15 and 16 November Taher, Nani along with other accomplices detained seven people including Badiuzzaman Mukto, an organiser of Mukijuddha, at Birampur Bazar and shot all but one dead.

Sixth, in the first week of October, Taher and Nani along with Pakistan soldiers and other accomplices detained 15 Hindus from Netrakona jail gate area and took them near Trimohoni Bridge and shot them dead.