Azad, his men raped 2 sisters

A prosecution witness yesterday told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 that Abul Kalam Azad and his cohorts raped his two sisters-in-law at their home in Faridpur during the Liberation War.
The 14th prosecution witness in the case against expelled Jamaat-e-Islami member Azad said the incident compelled 20 Hindu families in the locality to leave Bangladesh in fear.
Meanwhile, a prosecution witness testified that Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed used to hold consultation meetings with the Pakistani army at Faridpur Circuit House during the war.
“Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar, Kalu Bihari used to assist the Pakistani army [during the war],” said Mir Lutfar Rahman, the eighth prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat Secretary General Mojaheed.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir with members Justice Obaidul Hassan and Judge M Shahinur Islam recorded their testimonies before adjourning the case proceedings until today when the 14th witness in Azad's case and Lutfar would face cross-examination.
Mojaheed was produced in the dock yesterday while the tribunal has been holding Azad's trial in absentia.
The 14th witness during the 17-minute testimony said, in the beginning of the Liberation War, he was in Faridpur town and had been training at a tailor shop.
Towards the end of April, 1971, the Pakistani army killed eight priests of Prabhu Jagatbandhu Ashram (temple) on their way to the town, said the witness.
He said the army set up camps at Rajendra College, Faridpur Circuit House and stadium, and began their atrocities.
Fearing for his life, the witness left Faridpur town for his village home in the district.
He said on June 8, 1971, Azad along with eight-10 of his cohorts approached their home whilst firing their guns. All males of their home, including himself, hid inside a nearby jute field, said the witness.
“Bachchu Razakar and his cohorts caught my mother, sisters-in-law and all the women of our home and forced them to stand up and sit down,” said the witness.
Azad and four-five of his cohorts took two of his newly married sisters-in-law into a room for half an hour, said the witness, adding that they left his home after looting all valuables.
As Azad and his cohorts left, the witness and other male persons returned and his mother and a sister-in-law rescued his two sisters-in-law from the room. They were unconscious and their clothes had been stripped off.
“As they [victims] came around after 20 minutes or so, they were saying 'we have lost our chastity, we don't want to live anymore. We have lost everything',” said the witness.
The Daily Star as per its policy is withholding the names of the rape victims and the witness.
The witness said, “Then we thought, none could live in a place where women's chastity couldn't be protected. Afterwards, we and around 20 Hindu families of the area left for India.”
The two victims are now living in India.
The witness said he knew Azad as he was seen holding Jamaat-e-Islami meetings and processions.
“I have seen him [Azad] on the day of the incident.”
“In cooperation with the Pakistani army, Azad used to provide Razakar training to local youths and these Razakars committed lootings and rapes.”
Meanwhile, a female yesterday testified behind closed doors as the 13th witness in the case.
After lunch, state-appointed defence counsel Abdus Shukur Khan informed the tribunal that he could not submit any defence witness list in the case as he did not get any cooperation from Azad's family members.
Earlier, the tribunal had extended time for submission of defence witness list.
MOJAHEED'S CASE
During his 25-minute testimony, Lutfar of Faridpur said the Pakistani army entered the district probably on April 17 or April 18, 1971, and on that day, the army along with Al-Badr and Razakars looted their shop at Faridpur town and torched it.
The 58-year-old businessman said, “Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar, Kalu Bihari used to assist the Pakistani army.”
“I have seen Mojaheed roaming in Faridpur town on a jeep.”
He said Azad used to train Razakars and Al-Badr men setting up training camps at Maira Patti, house of Hira Lal Moktar, Ambika Hall and many other places.
“Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed was a leader of Islami Chhatra Sangha [the then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami] and he used to travel to Dhaka and Faridpur frequently,” said Lutfar.
“He [Mojaheed] used to hold meetings with the Pakistani army at Faridpur Circuit House for consultation to determine who would be detained. Bachchu Razakar was seen with him at that time,” said Lutfar adding, “Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed used to carry a sword ...”
According to the prosecution, as a leader of Islami Chhatra Sangha, Azad was a close associate of the then central Chhatra Sangha leader Mojaheed.
Lutfar said Mojaheed along with other Razakars raided the house of Munnu and detained his brother Nannu as they did not find Munnu. Nannu was later let go.
On June 21, the tribunal indicted former minister Mojaheed on seven charges of crimes against humanity, including murder and imprisonment of people, genocide, and hatching a conspiracy to kill intellectuals.