Khan Akram Acquitted by Supreme Court in War Crimes Case

The ruling was delivered on Thursday morning, February 26, 2026, by a bench headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury. Chief Prosecutor Md. Aminul Islam represented the state during the proceedings, which concluded a long-standing legal battle for the Bagerhat resident.

The case dates back to August 11, 2015, when the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) found Khan Akram guilty of specific charges and sentenced him to life imprisonment until death. In the same judgment, the primary accused, Sheikh Sirajul Haque (known as Siraj Master), was awarded the death penalty, while another accused, Abdul Latif Talukder, was removed from the list following his death during the trial. Khan Akram subsequently filed an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the tribunal's decision, leading to his final acquittal today after a decade of litigation.

Following the announcement, the defense expressed satisfaction with the verdict, asserting that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to sustain the conviction. While the court's decision brings an end to the case against Khan Akram, the legal status of the other convicts and the state's potential move for a review remain unclear. This acquittal is one of the first major war crimes appeal verdicts delivered under the leadership of the newly appointed 26th Chief Justice.