18th witness also tells of Nizami's role

A prosecution witness yesterday told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that the Pakistani occupation army had killed around 400 people at Rupshi Bausgari in Pabna following instruction of war crimes accused Motiur Rahman Nizami in 1971.
The 18th prosecution witness, Johurul Haque, 67, said he had heard it from locals after the massacre on May 14, 1971.
“I heard it from witnesses that the victims were asked to gather there in presence of Nizami. The Pakistani army, instructed by Nizami, opened fire on the gathering indiscriminately and killed them,” Johurul, who was a freedom fighter, added.
The witness said he had woken up by the sound of gunshots at dawn on May 14, 1971. “I came out from my house. Hiding in a bush I saw Nizami, Asad, Quader and Sattar along with the Pakistani army and collaborators advancing to the village shooting indiscriminately,” he said.
Johurul said he along with a number of fellow freedom fighters had run away from their village and returned to Rupshi Bausgari after six to seven hours.
The witness further said he had identified the bodies of 50-60 people including Aken Fakir, Wafazuddin, Brozram, Upendranath and Jitendranath.
Sensing it was not safe for them to stay in Pabna, they had left for India in mid-June to receive training and returned to Bangladesh after 41 days.
The witness also corroborated the testimony of those prosecution witnesses, who had testified against Nizami earlier.
Ainul Haque, ninth prosecution witness in the case, said four days after a meeting to form a peace committee on May 10 at Rupshi Govt Primary School, the Pakistani army massacred 300-400 people in Pabna.
Johurul said he had learned about that meeting from Ainul during the Liberation War in 1971.
Nizami, facing 16 war crimes charges for committing crimes against humanity during the war, was produced before the tribunal yesterday.
The proceeding of the case was adjourned until September 1.
QUASEM'S CASE
The tribunal yesterday deferred the date of giving an order on charge framing in the war crimes case against Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali until September 5.
The tribunal led by Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim with Justice Anwarul Haque fixed the new date after accepting a defence petition partially.
The defence said their senior lawyer Abdur Razzaq wanted to place arguments on their discharge petition. Since he was abroad and would be available on September 8, they prayed to the tribunal to adjourn the order on charge framing until the second session of September 8.
Opposing the petition, prosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon said there was no such provision in the relevant laws.
Accepting the prayer partially the tribunal said for the ends of justice, it allowed the defence petition. “Let the matter be fixed on September 5 for an order on charge framing. If the learned counsel appears before this tribunal in the meantime, we will allow him to argue on discharge petition,” said Justice Selim.
The tribunal on August 21 fixed yesterday to decide about indicting Quasem on 14 charges of crimes against humanity committed during the war.
Meanwhile, the prosecution yesterday began placing arguments on charge framing against war crimes accused ATM Azharul Islam at the tribunal.