The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday acquitted Khan Akram Hossain, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment until death in a case over crimes against humanity committed in 1971 in Bagerhat.
The judgement was delivered by a bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, allowing his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.
Prosecutor Faruq Ahmed confirmed the development, stating that Khan Akram's appeal was accepted.
On August 11, 2015, International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Sheikh Sirajul Haque, also known as Siraj Master, to death in the same case. Another accused from Bagerhat, Khan Md Akram Hossain, was given life imprisonment for crimes against humanity.
According to the tribunal's verdict, five out of six charges brought against Sirajul Haque were proven, while one of the three charges against Akram was proven. Siraj was awarded the death penalty on the five proven charges, to be executed either by firing squad or hanging.
Akram was sentenced to life imprisonment on the single proven charge. He later filed an appeal challenging the verdict, which has now resulted in his acquittal by the Appellate Division.
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