War crimes probe chief resigns

War crimes probe chief Abdul Matin has resigned, home state minister Shamsul Haq Tuku tells bdnews24.com.

Tuku said on Wednesday, "Matin submitted his resignation voluntarily to the home secretary in the morning."

On 25 March, the government formed a tribunal to try people alleged to have committed war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War. On the same day the seven-member investigation agency was also constituted, with Matin as its chief.

Matin's resignation came days after a government advisor alleged that Matin was an activist of the Islami Chhatra Shangha (ICS), student wing of the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami.

ICS members have been accused of taking part in war crimes during 1971, in particular relating to the abduction of intellectuals mainly on Dec 14-15, 1971 just days before the surrender of Pakistan army on Dec 16.

Matin has however strenuously denied any involvement in Islamist politics.

Prime minister's advisor on education, social development and political affairs Alauddin Ahmed on Apr 30 alleged that Matin had run for a college election backed by the defunct Islami Chhatra Shangha, predecessor to the Islami Chhatra Shibir.

He said, "The investigating agency chief was a presidential contender backed by Chhatra Shangha at the college."

"With him heading the agency, it is easy to conceive the future of the trial, the matter should be treated seriously," the advisor had added.

He also said one of the investigation agency's members had refused to start work, apparently for his lack of confidence in the probe chief.

But Matin, a former bureaucrat, on May 2 said that he had run for the vice presidency at BM College students' union elections as an independent candidate in 1963.

Matin said after completing his master's, he joined the Mymensingh Judges' Court as a civil judge at the end of 1971, when the Liberation War was still on, considering his family's welfare and the 'overall situation'.

"Doing a job and being a razakar (collaborator) are not the same."

Denying the allegation, he said, "I have never been involved with any political party since my student days until now."

Asked following Ahmed's accusations if he would resign, Matin had said, "The government has appointed me in this position. I will decide if it wants me to."