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Another top Bangladeshi Islamist to die for 1971 war crimes

Bangladesh’s war crimes court sentenced a leading Islamist to death yesterday for rape, mass murder and genocide during the country’s 1971 war.

Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary-general ATM Azharul Islam became the 16th person and the 11th Islamist to be convicted of atrocities by the International Crimes Tribunal.

The tribunal found the 62-year-old guilty of being a member of a notorious pro-Pakistan militia.

He was ordered “hanged by the neck” for the genocide of more than 1,200 people in Rangpur District.

“It was mass murder,” presiding judge Enayetur Rahim told the court.

Defence lawyer Tajul Islam rejected the charges and said his team planned to appeal to the supreme court.

“Azharul Islam was a 19-year-old student during the war and in no way was involved in war crimes.

“The charges against him are false and were fabricated,” he claimed.

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