Alim ordered killing of 10 in Joypurhat

Ten people of Khetlal upazila in Joypurhat were killed at the order of former Muslim League leader Abdul Alim during the Liberation War, testified a victim's relative before the International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday.
Dilip Kumar Chakrabarty, 11th prosecution witness in the case against ex-BNP lawmaker Alim, said the Pakistani army and their local collaborators attacked Hindu-dominated villages in Joypurhat, days after Alim asked his associates in a public rally to loot the houses of Hindus.
Dilip told the Tribunal-2 that under the leadership of Alim, the then chairman of Joypurhat sub-division Peace Committee and Razakar commander, the Pakistani army, Razakar and Peace Committee men killed and tortured people.
Razakar and Peace Committee, two anti-liberation forces, collaborated with the Pakistani army in committing genocide and crimes against humanity during the nine-month-long war as per prosecution documents.
On August 6, 2012, Abdul Momen, first prosecution witness in the case, testified that Alim had ordered the killing of at least nine Hindus in Khetlal and their bodies were buried by the river.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Judge M Shahinur Islam completed recording his testimony before adjourning the proceeding until today when Dilip is set to face cross-examination.
On June 11, 2012, the tribunal framed 17 charges of crimes against humanity against Alim including genocide and murder of Bangalee civilians and burying people alive.
During his 38-minute testimony, Dilip, who is a primary schoolteacher, said he was an SSC examinee in 1971.
The 59-year-old witness said around 9:00am on a day of May, 1971, possibly the ninth of Bangla month Jaistha, Pakistani army, local Peace Committee members and Razakars attacked the village and tortured people and looted their belongings.

"They [Pakistani army and their local collaborators] carried out atrocities to destroy the Hindu community on religious vengeance," he added.
"I took shelter near a bush to save my life and observed their activities and movement," said Dilip, adding that around 10:30am, he heard the screaming and saw plumes of smoke from neighbouring Harunja Hat village.
"After some time, I heard that Pakistani army were taking away five people from our village towards Hatsahar Hat. One Saidur Rahman, now deceased, and I tried to see the detained people secretly," he said.
Manibhusan, one of the five detainees, was his paternal uncle, said Dilip, adding that Pakistani army and their collaborators also brought five others from Harunja Hat and took the 10 to Peace Committee office at Khetlal.
"Saidur and I followed them secretly," Dilip said, adding that they heard the screaming of the detainees from 300 yards away from the office.
“After some time, the 10 detainees were put inside a pickup truck and a Razakar and Peace Committee member asked its driver loudly to 'produce the 10 before Alim at Joypurhat Shanti Committee [Peace Committee] office'," added Dilip.
After that Dilip and Saidur returned home and shared what they witnessed with their family members and others, said the witness.
"The 10 detainees never returned to our village. The next day I heard Pakistan army either killed or arranged their deaths at Khanjanpur Khuthibari Ghat following the order of Alim and buried them there," he said.
Seven or eight days before that incident, Alim and Pakistani Major Afzal addressed a meeting at Hatsahar Hat with Peace Committee members and Razakars, said Dilip, adding that around 500-600 people joined that meeting.
"In his speech, Abdul Alim asked the meeting to loot the belongings of the Hindus. We heard him in the loudspeakers from our house," added Dilip.
After the killings, 100-150 Hindu people including Dilip's family members left Joypurhat, said the witness.