Another implicates Mahidur, Afsar

A prosecution witness yesterday vividly described his miraculous survival and his brother's death right before him after war crimes accused Mahidur Rahman and Afsar Hossain alias Chutu shot them in Chapainawabganj during the 1971 Liberation War.

Jakaria, 62, however, mixed up the accused standing at the dock two consecutive times when asked by the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2 to identify them, prompting the defence to suggest he had given a “tutored and untrue testimony”, to which he replied in the negative.

Meanwhile, the tribunal-1 deferred until February 26 the hearing of a contempt rule issued upon the Daily Sangram editor and three others after the defence prayed for time.

The rule came over newspaper reports and comments centring the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam which was pending with the court.

“The Pakistani (occupation) army cordoned off Chandshikari (his village) and villages -- Kobirajtola, Chamatola and Eradot Biswasher Tola at about 5:00 or 6:00am on a day of mid-Shaban (early October in Islamic calendar)...They entered our house at about 9:00am,” said the fourth witness.

“We failed to flee. Razakars (an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army) dragged me out of my room and handed me over to the Pakistani army in front of our house,” said Jakaria, adding that his three brothers, Taslim, Nazrul and Estaj, were also caught.

He also stated of seeing others who had been rounded up -- Abul Hossain, Mohbul, Fosi Alam alias Satu, Afzal, Senamul, Katlu, Jalal, Poygam Biswas, Rahman, Alkej, Azhar, Mantu, Sentu, Solim Uddin and another Jalal.

“At one stage, they forced us to lie face down and tortured us,” he said, adding that they were later kept confined to Binodpur High School till around 4:00pm the next day, when Razakars brought them out.

The Razakars freed Abul Hossain, Mohbul, Mantu, Poygam Biswas, Rahman and Salimuddin on condition of bringing back rice, pulse, mutton and chicken, said Jakaria.

The rest were forced to queue up at the school playground's south-east corner. “We could see 10-12 bodies nearby and dogs fighting over those,” he said.

“Razakar Mahidur shot Sentu. Chutu shot Azhar. My brother Estaj was shot by Mahidur. Chutu shot me...The bullet passed through my back and left rib (cage),” he said, revealing the scar to the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2.

He said he fell down and was sent by neighbours to his sister in India for treatment. While being treated at India's Gopalnagar, he heard that Razakars and the Pakistani army had burnt down Kobirajtola and Eradat Biswasher Tola.

Proceedings were adjourned until February 8.