DHAKA: A Bangladesh war crimes court yesterday ordered a British-based Muslim leader and a US citizen to be tried in absentia for the murder of 19 intellectuals during the 1971 independence war, prosecutors said. The country’s much criticised International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) charged Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan with 11 “crimes against humanity” counts including murder, confinement, abduction and torture.
“They have been charged with the murder of 19 top intellectuals during the war. They included writers, university professors, doctors and journalists,” senior prosecutor Ziad Al Malum said, adding both face the death penalty if convicted. Rana Dasgupta, another prosecutor, said that the court “has fixed July 15 for the opening statement” in their trial.
