ICT releases on bail former DG Oahidul of NSI in 1971 genocide case

The International Crimes Tribunal today granted bail to Oahidul Haque, former Acting Director General of National Security Intelligence (NSI), in a case brought for allegedly committing crimes against humanity and genocide during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member tribunal, headed by presiding judge Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the order following a petition filed by Oahidul’s lawyer.

Abdus Sattar Palawan, Oahidul’s lawyer, confirmed the decision to The Daily Star. He said: “We managed to convince the tribunal that the previous government brought this case as part of political harassment.”

Palawan further said that Oahidul, 78, has been in custody for six and a half years and is in poor health.

“We presented medical records indicating his condition and, taking into account his health, age and length of time in custody, the tribunal decided to release him on bail,” he added.

However, on April 24, 2018, Oahidul, also a former additional inspector general of police, was arrested.

Oahidul was allegedly involved in the killing of about 500 to 600 people near Rangpur Cantonment on March 28, 1971.

The investigation against Oahidul began on December 5, 2016, and on October 16, 2019, he was charged with war crimes.

According to the investigating agency and prosecutor’s office, Oahidul of Chandibardi village under Madaripur Sadar Upazila joined the Pakistan Army in October 1966.

He was transferred to Rangpur Cantonment in March 1970 as a captain. Motiur Rahman, the officer investigating the case, said that on March 28, 1971, as a lone Bangalee army officer, he was involved in the murder of about 500-600 people near the cantonment.

On March 30, 1971, he was transferred to Pakistan and then returned to Bangladesh, where in 1974 he joined the army. He was later sent into “forced retirement” because many were aware of his war crimes.

After the change in political climate in August 1975, he joined the police as an Assistant Superintendent in October 1976 and later became Director of NSI, acting as DG NSI, and retired as Additional IGP in 2005.