Shawdesh Desk:

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced six people to death for committing crimes against humanity in Khulna during the Liberation War in 1971.

Justice Md Shahinur Islam, chairman of the three-member panel of the ICT-1, announced the verdict on Thursday.

The death row convicts are- Amjad Hossain Howlader, Md Shahar Ali Sardar, Md Atiar Rahman Sheikh, Md Motasin Billah, Md Kamal Uddin Goldar and Md Nazrul Islam. Of the six, Nazrul is yet to be arrested and was tried in absentia.

There were seven accused in the case initially. Of the seven, accused Md Mojahar Ali Sheikh died after the indictment.

The investigation agency of the tribunal launched their investigation in the case in 2015, while the tribunal issued arrest warrant against them on March 8, 2017. The investigation agency of the tribunal on August 8, 2017, filed their report with the prosecution office.

The ICT-1 on January 22, 2019, framed four charges of crimes against humanity against the accused.

A total of 17 witnesses including the investigation officer (IO) testified in the case and were cross-examined by the defence afterwards.