Witness testifies on killing, torture in Moulvibazar
A prosecution witness yesterday testified how five war crimes accused along with Pakistan army men tortured him and killed his brother during the Liberation War in 1971.
Abdul Kader of Dakkhin Khalagram (Nayatila) of Rajnagar upazila in Moulvibazar, and also the eighth prosecution witness in the case against five Moulvibazar men, broke into tears as he completed his testimony before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 and prayed for justice.
The accused are Yunus Ahmed, Ujer Ahmed Chowdhury, Samsul Hossain Tarafder, Nesar Ali, and Mobarak Mia. They are facing five charges. Of them, Yunus and Ujer are now in jail while the rest are on the run.
Kader, 70, said on November 29, 1971, some 100 to 150 Pakistan army men and Razakars including Nesar, Shamsur, Ujer, Yunus, and Mobarak, laid siege to their houses and picked up his brother Abdul Basit alias Badsha, a freedom fighter, and him.
They tortured them and looted their houses before setting those on fire, said the witness. The attackers also picked up their neighbour Najabat Ali and burnt down his house.
The Razakars and army men then handed them over to local Razakars who locked them inside Rajnagar Police Station and continued torturing them. In the evening, the accused and Pakistan army decided to take the detainees to a local army camp.
On the way to the camp, they tortured him inside the vehicle and broke a bone of his chest. Afterwards, assuming him to be dead, they left him in Langurpur area, said Kader.
After seven to eight days, he came to know from one Soyab Ali that the Pakistan army killed his brother and Najabat Ali along with other detainees.
He said they had found the bodies few days later but could not bury those as they were badly decomposed.
Defence counsels completed his cross-examination before the tribunal adjourned the case proceedings until March 15.
Meanwhile, the tribunal fixed April 12 to decide whether it will take the charges into cognisance brought against five Gaibandha men for allegedly committing crimes during the Liberation War.
On Thursday, the prosecution pressed five charges against Abdul Jabbar Mondal, Jachijar Rahman alias Khoka, Abdul Wahed Mondal, Montaz Alia Bepari alias Momtaz, and Ranju Miah.
All the accused are from Gaibandha Sadar upazila. Of them, Ranju is now in jail while the rest are on the run.
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