Subhan took part in Pabna massacres

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdus Subhan had planned and participated in the massacres carried out in several villages of Pabna on May 12, 1971, a freedom fighter testified yesterday, apparently corroborating the versions of several other prosecution witnesses.

SK Shahidullah, a resident of Nishchintapur village in the district's Sujanagar upazila, said he had seen the Pakistani army carry out atrocities and learnt about Subhan's involvement from locals and his elder brother, who was shot but survived on that fateful day.

The 29th prosecution witness in Subhan's case told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 that the Pabna Peace Committee, an anti-liberation platform, was formed in the first week of May 1971 with a Pakistani army captain, Jayedi, as its chairman and Subhan as secretary.

Earlier, several prosecution witnesses linked Subhan, then ameer of Pabna Jamaat, to the mass killings in the villages  that left 170 to 175 people dead on May 12, 1971.

Subhan, a Jamaat nayeb-e-ameer, faces nine charges of crimes including genocide in Pabna. The accused, in his 80s, however, pleads not guilty in court.

The 68-year-old retired banker said he took part in a front battle against the Pakistani army in Pabna town between March 27 and 29, 1971, and organised local youths for the war. On May 12, 1971, a synchronised attack was carried out on four to five villages , and he  saw in the morning that the occupation army was taking locals to Nishchintapur Primary School, said Shahidullah.

“When I entered my house through the back door, my mother hugged me with tearful eyes and said my elder brother Obaidullah was taken away,” said Shahidullah, adding that his parents asked him to flee.

While fleeing, he saw two army vehicles and one white car parked before Nishchintapur Primary School, adjacent to their house, and heard three gunshots, he said, adding that later, the wife of one Seken told his mother that the Pakistani army killed Seken along with two others.

The witness said he later saw the bodies of Seken, his cousin Moni and Entaz on the school premises.

The Pakistani army left the area around 3:00pm, and when he was approaching towards Satbaria looking for his brother, he met four or five people at Fakitpur, who were carrying his wounded brother to their village, said Shahidullah.

“From my wounded brother and locals, I learnt that the massacre was carried out following the plan and with the participation of Moulana Subhan Shaheb,” he said.

Subhan's lawyer Mizanul Islam completed his cross-examination. The proceeding was adjourned till today.