Trial of four Noakhali men began at the International Crimes Tribuna-1 yesterday in a case filed against them for allegedly committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque recorded the opening statement of the case placed by Prosecutor Zahid Imam and fixed September 28 for recording testimony of the prosecution witnesses.

The accused are Amir Ali, 70, Md Joynal Abedin, 73, Abul Kalam alias AKM Mansur, 67, and Md Abdul Kuddus, 84, are of Sudharam upazila. Of them, Abul Kalam is on the run while the rest are in jail.

The prosecution on October 5 last year pressed three charges against five men from Noakhali, including the four. Mohammad Yusuf later died from old age complications and was not indicted.

They were “involved” with Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force of Pakistani occupation army, and the killing of at least 111 people in three incidents, according to the prosecution.

According to the first charge, the four were involved in the killing of at least 100 people of Sreepur and Sonapur villages on June 15.

Amir, Abul and Joynal were involved in the abduction and killing of two people of Pashim Karimpur and Debipur village on September 13, reads the second.

The third charge says, Amir and Abul Kalam were involved in the abduction, torture and killing of at least nine people of Ramharitaluk, Debipur and Uttar Chakla villages on the same day.