Freedom fighter sued over 'war crimes'

A man has filed a case against the commander of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad of Patharghata Unit in Barguna and his two relatives for allegedly committing crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.

Mizanur Rahman, who claimed his father Motiur Rahman was a freedom fighter, filed the case on Sunday with Patharghta upazila judicial magistrate's court.

The court ordered the authority concerned to send the case documents to the International Crimes Tribunal, said the complainant's lawyer Manoj Kumar Kirtonia.

The accused are commander Abdul Mannan Howlader, his younger brother Abdur Razzak Howlader, and brother-in-law Hazrat Ali, and 10/12 unnamed persons. Denying the allegations, Mannan said he was sued over “personal enmity.”

According to the case documents, the accused tried to kill Chitta Ranjon Shil of the upazila on June 29, 1971. Later, they killed Murendra Nath, uncle of Chitta Ranjon and hid the body. The accused also killed Motiur Rahman, father of the complainant, and Monohar Mistree, father of Monmatha Mistree, a witness in the case, during the Liberation War. Later, the accused set fire to their houses.

Mizanur Rahman said, “I want justice for my father's killing.” About the delay in filing the case, he said he had to spend time contacting witnesses and collecting documents.

Contacted, Mannan said he was not aware about the case as he was in Dhaka. “I have been serving to the Patharghata unit of Muktijoddha Sangsad for over 25 years, and I am a genuine freedom fighter. I was not involved in any such crimes,” he said over the phone.

In 2004, Mizanur Rahman applied to the unit seeking declaration of his father as "freedom fighter" but the unit did not consider his prayer, Mannan said.

The Pakistani army killed Motiur Rahman during the war with the help of Razakars, and like Motiur, many people were killed by the Pakistani army who are "Shaheed" (martyrs) but not "freedom fighters", he said. Mizanur was annoyed over the matter and sued him, he said.

Refuting the claim, Mizanur said the court would take a decision on the matter.