Witness testifies on torture in '71

Shahjahan Ali, still bearing the infliction of brutal torture of 1971, was taken to a river bank in Pabna where local Razakars attempted to kill him by slitting his throat in presence of Motiur Rahman Nizami.
Locals rescued him later, but since then it has been hard for Shahjahan to talk normally.
He yesterday stood before the judges of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 to give deposition on the horrific experience of torture by local Razakars, who collaborated with the Pakistani invaders in killing three million people and violating more than a quarter million women.
Shahjahan is the sixth prosecution witness in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami who was president of his party's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha during the Liberation War in 1971.
Understanding his struggle to speak, the tribunal asked the prosecutor to take his deposition briefly.
In broken voice, the witness said he was an injured freedom fighter and got Tk 10,000 as monthly government allowance.
“On November 28, 1971 a war broke out at Dhuliura village [in Pabna],” he said.
“Eight freedom fighters were caught. I was beaten brutally. As per Motiur Rahman Nizami's instruction Sattar Razakar took four of us on the bank of the river,” said Shahjahan.
“They [Razakars] charged bayonet on us. Nizami was present there. They cut my throat with a knife,” the witness said, adding that he could not remember anything more.
His fellow freedom fighters were killed by bayonet charges.
“Local people took me to one Ranjit Sarkar's house at Fulbari village,” Shahjahan said, adding, he was later taken to Pabna hospital where he was given treatment for one month.
The witness said he was later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he received treatment for four years.
About 300-400 people of Dhuliura village were killed in that war, he said.
Prosecutor Mir Iqbal Hossain asked the witness whether Nizami was present at the tribunal.
With much effort Shahjahan stood up on his feet, turned right, pointed his finger to the accused in the dock and said, “He is there, Razakar!”
The tribunal however recorded it as “the witness has identified the accused”.
Defence counsel Mizanul Islam had cross-examined the witness before the tribunal adjourned the proceeding until May 2.
Earlier, the defence of another war crimes accused Salauddin Quader Chowdhury completed cross-examining the 31st prosecution witness. The proceeding of the case was adjourned until May 2.
The three-member tribunal yesterday asked the prosecution to submit the final probe report on one Rustom Ali Sikder on May 2.
Prosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon told the tribunal that the investigation agency had not found any charges of war crimes against Rustom.