DHAKA: The International Crimes Tribunal’s investigation agency has launched probe into the charges of wartime crimes against former education minister and BNP’s vice chairman Dr Osman Faruk.

On the other hand, the investigation agency is inquiring the documents of charges of crimes against humanity committed by controversial businessman Moosa Bin Shamsher.

Senior coordinator of the investigation agency Sanaul Huque disclosed the information at a press conference at its office at Dhanmondi in the city on Thursday (July 27).

Sanaul Huque said that Dr Osman Faruk has already been accused in the case filed for wartime crimes. “We are investigating the charges found against him. We are also inquiring the evidence brought against Moosa Bin Shamsher,” he said.

The press conference was convened to disclose the inquiry reports of 16 accused war criminals in two cases who allegedly committed crimes against humanity during Bangladesh War of Liberation in Jessore and Mymensingh.

On May 04 in 2016, the ICT’s investigation agency at a press conference said that they found allegation of anti-liberation activities against 11 people, including Dr Osman Faruk.

The investigation agency had said that they will launch a probe into the war crimes charges against the BNP leader and others, and file case against them after primary investigation.

Chief coordinator of the investigation agency Abdul Hannan Khan had said that primary investigation found documents against Osman Faruk and 10 others. They committed crimes against humanity in 1971 in Bangladesh Agricultural University area in Mymensingh as they collaborated with the Pakistan army during the Liberation War. They had a torture cell in the university to run activities during the war

Osman Faruk’s father Osman Gani is founding vice chancellor of the Bangladesh Agricultural University. Osman Faruk was working at the Agriculture Economy faculty of the university as reader in 1971. The rest 10 accused were teachers and officials of the university.

When the allegations brought against him, Osman Faruk had denied the allegations of anti-liberation role, terming those ‘totally false and baseless’. BNP had also denied the allegation brought against its leader.

Osman Faruk is now staying in the USA.

BDST: 1515 HRS, JULY 27, 2017
EHJ