Jessore to receive justice today

Apart from Sakhawat, who is now the religious affairs secretary of Jatiya Party, the other accused are his associates Md Billal Hossain, Md Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh Md Mujibur Rahman, Md Abdul Aziz Sarder, Qazi Ohidul Islam alias Wahidur Salam, Md Aziz Sarder and Abdul Khalek Morol. Of them, only Sakhawat and Billal are in jail. Another accused, Lutfor Morol, died of cardiac arrest in police custody on May 6 this year. The accused were charged with abduction, confinement, torture, rape and murder of Bangalis in Keshabpur and Mahadebpur areas of Jessore between mid-September and mid-October in 1971. International Crimes Tribunal Chairman Justice Anwarul Haque announced the verdict date yesterday. The tribunal finished hearing in the case on July 14 and kept the case pending for verdict. Seventeen witnesses testified against the accused.