Taher, Nani implicated in killing of six more

A prosecution witness yesterday linked Obaidul Haque Taher and Ataur Rahman Nani with the abduction, torture and killing of six people, including his maternal uncle, in Netrakona during the 1971 Liberation War.

“I want justice,” Abdul Mannan Sabuj, the eighth to testify, prayed before International Crimes Tribunal-1, saying his family had grabbed the legs of Taher's father at one point pleading to spare his uncle's life but to no avail.

The accused, whom the primary school teacher living in Nagendranagar village knew before the killing, plead not guilty to the six charges they face.

On November 15, 1971, Sabuj stated to have witnessed while hiding inside a bush with his cousin Faruk the activities of a group of Razakars, the Pakistani occupation army's auxiliary force, led by Taher in Birampur Bazar.

“We saw Razakars detain my maternal uncle Badiuzzaman Mukta and Siddqur Rahman,” he said, adding that five persons, namely Abdul Malek, Lebu, Islam Uddin, Mizanur Rahman and Ismail, were also detained from the market and nearby areas.

When the detainees were being taken towards the Laxmiganj ferry ghat, he and Faruk went home and informed his family members. The Razakars shot Labu near the ghat for being a Hindu, said Sabuj.

Joined by three family members, including his mother, they then went to meet Taher's father Manjurul Haque in Mokterpara.

While waiting for Manjurul, he and Faruk went to a nearby street where they heard that the detainees were being tortured. Moving ahead, they saw the Razakars doing so, said Sabuj.

After some time, the detainees were taken inside an army jeep which roamed around the town while the torture continued, he said. Coming back, he saw his family pleading with Manjurul. Taher arrived and drove them out as per his father's orders, said Sabuj.

The next day he and Faruk saw Taher and other Razakars shooting in the air and cheering near the Moktarpara bridge. “Apart from Obaidul Haque Taher, I recognised Ataur Rahman Nani,” he added.

Later, they learnt that five detainees including his uncle who was an organiser of the Liberation War had been shot dead. Mizanur was released as he was a bank employee, said Sabuj.

Sabuj indentified Taher and Nani at the dock. The three-member tribunal led by Justice M Enayetur Rahim adjourned proceedings until June 22 after the defence completed cross-examining Sabuj.