Alim was sued after Liberation War

At least two cases were filed against Abdul Alim with Joypurhat Police Station after the Liberation War for allegedly collaborating with the Pakistani army, an investigator testified yesterday.
ZM Altafur Rahman, investigation officer of Alim's war crimes case, also told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 that a total of 23 cases were filed with the police station under the Collaborators Act-1972.
Altafur, the 35th and the last prosecution witness in the case, said this while Alim's counsel, Ahsanul Huq Hena, was cross-examining him for the third day.
Former BNP lawmaker, Alim, was indicted on 17 charges including murders and genocide allegedly committed during the nine-month war in 1971.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Shahinur Islam recorded Altafur's cross-examination.
The court also asked the defence counsel to complete his cross-examination within an hour today.
On the two cases against Alim, Hena said, police had given final report in one case while his client was acquitted in the other.
Altafur, in his reply, said, "I didn't find such information during my investigation."
However, a defence petition itself contradicted Hena's claim.
According to Alim's discharge petition, a case was filed against him under the Collaborators Act on March 9, 1972, and police had submitted charge sheet against him on April 8 the same year.
Following a petition of a special public prosecutor, a special tribunal ordered police for further investigation into the case.
On January 17, 1974, Alim was granted bail by the High Court and he got released from Bogra Jail on January 18 that year, according to the petition.
The defence petition said "In 1974, the then President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ordered for General Amnesty and repealed the Collaborators Order and thereby the case against the petitioner [Alim] was stored."
But actually the then government announced general amnesty on November 30, 1973 and the government of Justice Sayem and General Zia repealed the Collaborators Act on December 31, 1975.
People, who had been punished or accused of rape, murder, arson and looting, did not come under the purview of general amnesty, according to historic documents.
In reply to a question, Altafur said Alim was elected chairman of Joypurhat municipality in 1975 and 1977, minister in 1979 and president of Joypurhat Bar Association in 1991 and 1993.
Replying to another question, he said he had scrutinised newspapers published in 1971 and didn't find any anti-liberation statement issued by Abdul Alim during the war.
As Hena sought an adjournment at 3:40pm citing lack of preparation, the tribunal asked him to complete cross-examination within one hour today.