Prosecution's argument ends today

International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday asked the prosecution to complete its argument by today in the case against Salauddin Quader Chowdhury for committing crimes against humanity.
Yesterday was the last day for the prosecution to complete its argument, but it failed to do so.
Following repeated failure by the prosecution to produce witnesses in the case, the court on July 24 had set three days from July 28 for the prosecution to place its closing arguments.
Stating that the prosecution had been busy with pertinent matters, prosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon yesterday prayed for the tribunal to grant it two more days to complete its arguments.
Of the 23 charges brought against SQ Chowdhury, the prosecution has so far completed placing arguments on 13 charges.
Simon argued that he had been able to prove beyond doubt the involvement of SQ Chowdhury in crimes against humanity between April 14 and July 5, 1971 in different areas of Chittagong.
According to one of the charges, the Pakistan army, as per directives issued by SQ Chowdhury, had shot dead Satish Chandra Palit of Rauzan Pourasava on April 14, 1971 at about noon.
Simon told the tribunal that the victim's son Paritosh Kumar Palit, who was 27 years old in 1971, had witnessed the killing of his father from a nearby bush.
Testifying before the tribunal on April 22, Paritosh said Salahuddin was standing under a tree and the Pakistani army got engaged in an altercation with his father in their yard.
At one stage, Salahuddin shouted in anger and told the Punjabi soldiers [Pakistani army], “This man is dangerous, kill him.”
As Satish fell to the ground, the soldiers army men set fire to his body with some chemicals and left the scene. Paritosh then went to a relative's house and informed the family of the relative about the incident.
The next day, Paritosh's brother collected his father's remains and left Chittagong for India as they felt insecure. Paritosh returned to Chittagong after the Liberation War was over, the witness told the court.
According to charge no-11, the Pakistan army and the Razakars, who were supporters of the Muslim League, as per directives by SQ Chowdhury and his father Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, jointly had attacked people in Sakhapura village, a Hindu populated area under Boalkhali Police Station, and fired indiscriminately at villagers and used bayonets to kill them. Later, 76 deceased persons could be identified.
Making his deposition before the court, 24th prosecution witness Babul Chakrawarty Bulbul on April 1 narrated how SQ Chowdhury and his father had led the Pakistani army to kill the witness's father Manmohan Chakrawarty.
Babul's father Manmohan was dragged out of his home and shot dead on April 20, 1971.
Quoting Babul's testimony, Simon said during the cross-examination of the witness, the defence did not ask any question contesting the charge.
Simon also pointed out two instances of material evidence which corroborate the incident of Sakhapura village.
KHOKON'S CASE
The same tribunal yesterday ordered its registrar's office to publish advertisements in two national dailies asking MA Zahid Hossain Khokon to appear before it by August 14 in a case for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
If the fugitive, the incumbent mayor of Nagarkanda Municipality in Faridpur, does not appear before it by the time frame, the court will appoint a defence lawyer for him on August 14.
While passing the order, the three-member tribunal headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir directed the registrar's office to publish the advertisement in The Daily Star and Bangla daily Janakantha.
The court on July 18 accepted 11 charges against the BNP leader in the case.
On the same day, the tribunal also issued an arrest warrant against Khokon and had fixed yesterday (July 30) for charge framing hearing.
Khokon, now 70, was a local leader of Razakars, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army, in Faridpur in 1971.
He was involved in at least 13 incidents of crimes against humanity, which had left at least 50 people dead and eight others seriously injured and two women raped, according to probe findings.