Police have arrested three people in Mymensingh in a case of crimes against humanity filed at the International Criminal Tribunal. Among them is a beneficiary of ‘war wounded freedom fighter’ of Ishwarganj upazila. His name is Md. They are Mia. According to local sources, he is the son of late Shahnewaz of Itaulia village in Atharbari union of the upazila.
Ishwarganj police officer in charge (OC) said. Abdul Quader Mia said police arrested him from Rayerbazar in Atharbari Union of the upazila on Thursday for tampering with the tribunal’s warrant. Hundreds of people gathered at the market at this time.
At the same time, Ishwarganj police arrested Rustam Ali (61) from Atharbari area in a war crimes case, police said. He is the son of Mayfar Ali of Kalian village in the upazila.
Meanwhile, Mymensingh Kotwali Model Police arrested Syed Mostafizur Rahman, 72, from AB Guha Road area of the city. He is the son of late Hossain Ahmed, a resident of Sohagi Bazar in Ishwarganj.
According to local sources, they established a reign of terror as members of the Razakar forces during the Mia Liberation War. He left the area and moved to Dhaka after the country became independent due to the anger of the locals against them. After covering his body for some time, he returned to the area and was severely injured after being beaten by the locals. Later he went to Dhaka for treatment but one of his legs became paralyzed.
Ranjan Ghosh, commander of Atharbari Union Muktijoddha Sangsad of the upazila, told Prothom Alo on his mobile phone that there is another Bir Muktijoddha named Tara Mia in Jangalia village of Sahanati union of Gauripur upazila. His father’s name was Shamser Ali. Using the same name and identity, Tara Mia, son of Shahnawaz of Atharbari Union, became a war-wounded heroic freedom fighter. In this identity he got various benefits from the government besides raising the freedom fighter allowance.
Veteran freedom fighter Ranjan Ghosh further said that they are accused of publicly killing Abdul Latif, a school teacher of Atharbari area during the war of liberation. Later, a complaint was lodged with the war crimes tribunal on behalf of the teacher’s family. The veracity of the allegations was found during the course of the investigation. An arrest warrant was later issued against him by the tribunal.
Mymensingh Kotwali Police Station OC Shah Kamal Akand and Ishwarganj Police Station OC Abdul Quader Mia said arrest warrants had been issued against them in the war crimes tribunal case. After receiving the news, they raided and arrested him and handed him over to the court under section 54 and sent him to jail.
