Mahidur, Afsar killed 19 more

Two survivors yesterday told International Crimes Tribunal-2 how war crimes accused Mahidur Rahman and Afsar Hossain alias Chutu were involved in the killing of at least 19 persons in Chapainawabganj on October 6 and 7 during the 1971 Liberation War.

Meanwhile, two freedom fighters corroborated the 15th and 16th prosecution witnesses before International Crimes Tribunal-1 on how a fellow was shot dead by war crimes accused Khan Akram Hossain and Abdul Latif Talukder in Bagerhat in 1971.

Testifying before the tribunal-2, Rais Uddin, 74, said he and three or four villagers managed to flee while Razakars, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army, were shooting at 16 of them who were forced to queue up on the Binodpur High School playground on October 6.

“...they untied us. Razakar Chutu shot Ariful then Mahidur shot Fazlu. Both of them died,” said the third prosecution witness, adding that around 12 villagers were killed.

The 16 had been rounded up from their Chandshikari village that day by the army, accompanied by five to six Razakars, including the accused, and tortured brutally on the playground, he said.

In his testimony, the second prosecution witness, Mohbul Haque, 62, said he along with his father and 17 others were rounded up by the accused and other Razakars and confined to the school on October 6.

“On the following afternoon, one Razakar Gafur asked my father whether he could provide rice, goats and chicken. As my father replied in the affirmative, Gafur released me, my father Abul Hossain, Mantu, Jalal, Rahman and Paigam Biswas,” he said.

“On our way to collect the goods, we saw bodies on the playground. I could recognise Ariful and Fazlur,” said Mohbul.

They hid in a sugarcane field and came out in the evening, identifying more villagers (among those he had been rounded up with) including Nazrul, Entaz, Taslim, Senamusol, Alkes, Azhar and Sentu, he said.

The first prosecution witness had stated that 12 persons were killed that evening and two sustained bullet injuries.

The defence cross-examined the witnesses before proceedings were adjourned until today. Mahidur and Afsar deny the three charges of mass killing, arson, looting, abduction and torture.

TRIBUNAL-1

The 17th prosecution witness, Abdul Jabbar Bepari, 71, said he had been grazing his family's three cows on returning to his Raripara village under Kochua Police Station for a day from warfare training at Ashar's (Bangla month falling in August) end when Razakars, including the accused, caught him.

They sold his cows, tied him up with a cotton towel and took him to their Doiboggohati camp. “Akram and Latif tortured me inhumanly”, he said, adding that he released with the help of one of his uncles.

“Just as I was leaving, war crimes accused Siraj Master (Sheikh Sirajul Haque) hit me twice,” said Jabbar, adding that he had to take treatment for 28 days before returning to the Liberation War camp.

In his corroboration, he said two to three days before Victory Day, he and six other freedom fighters were going to Teligati village to visit a fellow's ailing mother when one of their companions, Fazlur Rahman, was caught by Akram and Latif at Teligati Bazar.

He said they saw Akram and Latif shoot Fazlur dead and dump the body in a nearby canal.

The 18th prosecution witness, Abdul Mojibor Kha, 62, gave a similar testimony over Fazlur's murder before defence counsels cross-examined them and proceedings were adjourned until today.

Latif and Akram are facing three charges in the war crimes case where Sheikh Sirajul Haque is another accused.