Jabbar ordered my brother's killing
A martyred freedom fighter's brother yesterday testified that the anti-liberation Razakars, instructed by war crimes accused Abdul Jabbar, shot dead his elder brother Motaleb Sharif at Phuljhuri village in Pirojpur on May 16, 1971.
Mozammel Haque Sharif, the 8th prosecution witness, told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that on the following day, Jabbar accompanied by Razakars and the Pakistani army again went to their village where they burnt houses and looted valuables. “Due to the arson, the body of my brother was burnt,” he said, adding that he saw the incident from a paddy field.
The witness said that on May 16, 1971 Jabbar addressed a rally at Tushkhali High School playground. “At that meeting, Jabbar ordered Razakars to make a list of freedom fighters and to bring freedom fighters Abdur Razzak and my brother Motaleb Sharif dead or alive,” he said.
On that afternoon, Razakars and supporters of Muslim League attacked their village and encircled their houses, he said. When Motaleb tried to escape, Razakars shot him dead, he added.
The witness also said Razakars brought out Razzak from a hideout and shot him. Razzak succumbed to his bullet injuries three days later.
Mozammel said that during the Liberation War, both his brother and Razzak worked in the army. After the war broke out, they fled Comilla Cantonment to their homes in Pirojpur and began giving training to local youths on war, he said.
The witness said he heard from locals that Jabbar also asked to catch the relatives of Motaleb and Razzak.
Hearing the news, Mozammel and his brother Sattar Sharif along with 15-20 youths fled their village to the Sundarbans to take training to fight in the Liberation War.
Former Jatiya Party lawmaker Jabbar, who was chairman of Mathbaria Peace Committee in Pirojpur in 1971, is facing five charges of crimes against humanity. He is now absconding.
The state-appointed defence counsel Mohammad Abul Hasan cross-examined the witness.
The proceeding was adjourned until today.
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