1971 war crimes convict Abul Kalam Azad surrenders to ICT

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a fugitive death-row convict in a case involving crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War, surrendered before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) today (21 January), according to a tribunal prosecutor.

Azad appeared at the tribunal in the morning to surrender, the prosecutor confirmed.

On 21 January 2013, the then International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Obaidul Hasan, sentenced Azad to death. Last year, Azad applied to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking a suspension of his sentence.

Under an order, his sentence was suspended for one year on the condition that he surrender before the court and file an appeal. Earlier, on 22 October 2025, the Prisons-2 wing of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order informing of the sentence suspension.

Azad faced a total of eight charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War. He was convicted on seven counts. Although the tribunal had the option to impose death sentences on three counts and prison terms on four others, it did not pass separate sentences on those charges as the death penalty had already been awarded. One charge was dismissed as the prosecution failed to prove it.

The tribunal found the allegations proven that Azad was involved in the killing of 14 people, the rape of three women, the abduction of nine persons, the unlawful confinement of 10 individuals, arson attacks on five houses, and looting of property from 15 homes during the Liberation War.

The verdict against Azad marked the first judgment delivered in a war crimes case in Bangladesh. However, he could not be produced before the tribunal at the time as he was absconding. Law enforcement agencies said he fled to Pakistan via India before an arrest warrant could be issued against him.