The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday framed seven charges against four Satkhira men including the district ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami over their alleged involvement in crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam also fixed April 15 to begin the trial with recording of testimony of the prosecution witnesses.

According to the charges submitted in March last year, the four were allegedly involved in killing of six persons, torturing of 14 people and raping of two women in Sadar and Ashashuni upazilas in the district.

The accused are Abdul Khaleq Mandol, 72, Satkhira Jamaat's chief and a former lawmaker; M Abdullah Al Baki alias Abdullah Hel Baki, 103; Khan Rokonuzzaman, 64, and Jahirul Islam alias Jahirul Haque alias Tikka Khan. All are from Sadar upazila.

Khaleq Mandol is in jail while Baki was released on bail. The other two are yet to be arrested.

Tribunal's investigation agency on February 8 last year said to have found evidence against the four persons.

According to the agency, Khaleq was involved with Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat, since 1967 and during the war, he acted as the organiser of Razakar Bahini in Satkhira.

Baki was involved with Muslim League and he was the Razakar Commander of the then Satkhira Sub-division while Rokonuzzaman and Jahirul were involved with Islami Chhatra Sangha and later joined Razakar Bahini, it said.

Meanwhile, the tribunal directed the prosecution to submit formal charges, if have any, on May 6 in a case filed against two Mymensingh men for their alleged wartime crimes.

Yesterday was fixed for submitting the report but Prosecutor Tureen Afroz said they received the investigation report of the case on December 31 last year.

But, they sent back the report for further investigation with some queries and so they need three more months to submit the report, Tureen said. The tribunal allowed her prayer. The accused are Shamsul Alam Bachchu, 70, and Mofazzal Hossain alias Abul Basar Md Mofazzal Hossain, 70, from Trisal upazila. They are now in jail.