Witness testifies on atrocities
A prosecution witness yesterday testified that Pakistani army and members of Qaisar Bahini, "founded by" Syed Mohammad Qaisar, had carried out mass atrocities in Madhabpur on April 27-28 in 1971.
Around 15 to 20 people died in that incident, Yakub Ali, a resident of Madhabpur in Habiganj and also the sixth prosecution witness in Qaisar's case, told the International Crimes Tribunal-2.
He also said Qaisar himself took part in the atrocities and several hundred shops and houses were burnt.
Qaisar, who had been the state minister during HM Ershad's regime, is facing 16 charges for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity and genocide in Brahmanbaria and Habiganj during the Liberation War.
He, however, denied the charges.
During his 48-minute testimony, the 62-year-old witness said the Peace Committee, an anti-liberation organisation, was formed in Madhabpur under Qaisar's directive.
He also formed "Qaisar Bahini" to assist the Pakistani army during the war, Yakub said.
After hearing gunshots on April 27, he took refuge at Madhabpur Bazar and from a secret place, witnessed shops being looted and torched by Qaisar Bahini and Pakistani army.
"Qaisar and members of his force torched shops and houses of Shachindra Babu, Binod Bihari Modak, Kamini Roy, Hirendra Lal Roy and many others," Yakub told the tribunal.
He also heard that members of Qaisar Bahini and Pakistani army looted and burnt down the houses of Katiara village near Madhabpur Bazar, where most of the villagers were fishermen, said the witness.
After that they entered Krishnanagar village, burnt down several houses and started indiscriminate firing that killed at least four people, Yakub said.
"I heard about the incidents (in Katiara and Krishnanagar) from our guardians after 7:00 pm on April 27," he said.
On the following day, members of Qaisar Bahini and Pakistani army once again attacked the bazar and burnt down around 200 shops, Yakub said, adding that they later attacked his village, Madhabpur, and he went into hiding.
Yakub said the attackers burnt down their houses and those of others in the village and killed 10 to 15 people. He left for India on April 29.
Qaisar's lawyer Abdus Sobhan Tarafder had asked Yakub only five questions before the three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan adjourned the case proceeding until today, when he is set to face further cross-examination.
Meanwhile, the court recorded the cross-examination of Nurul Islam, the investigation officer and last prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali.
During cross-examination for the second day yesterday, Quasem's lawyer Mizanul Islam asked Nurul Islam about Dalim Hotel, an Al-Badr torture centre allegedly controlled by Quasem.
The court also completed recording the cross-examination of Tahurul Islam, the second prosecution witness in the case against another Jamaat leader Abdus Subhan.
Comments