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Man abducted, then converted' to Islam

Al-Badr guard testifies about Kamaruzzaman's war crimes

Staff Correspondent
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman had forced a Hindu youth to convert to Islam at an Al-Badr camp during the Liberation War, Monowar Hossain Khan, a guard of the camp, told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday.
"My sir |Kamaruzzaman] had converted Shushil to Islam at the camp [Al-Badr camp] at Surendra Saha's house and taken him to the Nayani Bari camp," said Monowar alias Mohan Munshi, second prosecution witness in the war crimes case against Kamaruzzaman, during his cross-examination.
"I was present at the camp when Shushil was converted to Islam," said Monowar, who testified against Kamaruzzaman on July 25.
Shushil was kept in Nayani Bari camp for eight to 10 days, but Monowar could not remember when these incidents took place exactly.
Meanwhile, the Shanti Committee was formed as a civil force but it ended up becoming a military force said prosecution witness Mahbub Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram in the war crimes case against former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam yesterday.
In his testimony, Monowar said Kamaruzzaman accompa-
nied by a group of 20-25 armed Razakars, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation forces, abducted Shushil from a Hindu slum between Nurundi and Pearpur.
Shushil who was renamed as Mahiruddin was sent to the Al-Badr camp at Surendra Saha's home later and Kamaruzzaman shot Shushil dead at the camp, Monowar told in his testimony.
Monowar's duty as a guard of the camp that had been set up at one Surendra Saha's house in Sherpur gave him the opportunity to witness Kamaruzzaman's activities during the War in 1971.
The three-member tribu-
nal headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir with members Justice Obaidul Hassan and judge Md Shahinur Islam completed recording Mono war’s cross-examination and adjourned the case proceeding until today when third prosecution witness is expected to testify.
During the three and a half hours' cross-examination, defence counsel Kafil Uddin Ghoudhury asked the witness around 150 questions.
"There was no person named Shushil and what was said about him [Shushil] is not true," commented Kafil Uddin.
"It is not true," replied Monowar.
Replying to questions, Monowar said Kamaruzzaman was Al-Badr commander and one Joynal was Razakar commander in Sherpur during the War.
"After independence, when was the first time you [ M o n o w a r ] met Kamaruzzaman?" asked Kafil.
"Two days before Sherpur became free, Kamaruzzaman and I fled the camp [Al-Badr campl together. Many days after the Liberation War I met Kamaruzzaman when he had taken part in election," replied Monowar.
In reply to another question, Monowar said he does not know where Kamaruzzaman was since 1975.
"Do you know that Kamaruzzaman refrained from taking part in examination during the Liberation War in response to a call of the freedom fighters?" asked Kafil Uddin.
"I don't know," replied the witness.
Kafil Uddin said family members of the witness broke up with him as he was "amassing money from people through fraudulent activities".
"It is not true," replied the witness, adding, "They broke up with me for testi-fying against Kamaruzzaman as they [family members] have [good] relation with him."
Kafil Uddin said the witness has given "false and fabricated testimony" against Kamaruzzaman getting economic and other favours from Kamaruzzaman's enemies and political opponents.
Monowar rejected the defence's claims by just saying, "It is not true."
The witness was an "opportunist" who supported Awami League before the War but when Pakistani force occupied [Bangladesh], he took their side and took part in looting, said Kafil Uddin. He added after the Liberation War, the witness fled from his locality and taking advantage of the present situation, he is giving "false testimony" against his client.
Monowar again rejected the defence's claim saying, "It is not true."
Kamaruzzaman, who was charged on June 4 with the murder and torture of unarmed civilians during the War, was present at the dock. GH U LAM AZAM TRIAL Prosecution witness Mahbub Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram in the war crimes case against former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam yester-day said the Shanti Gommittee was formed as a civil force but it ended up becoming a military force.
In response to a suggestion of defence counsel Mizanul Islam during his cross-examination, second prosecution witness Mahbub said it was not true that the aim of the Shanti
Gommittee, an auxiliary fore of the Pakistan army, was to restore peace during the Liberation War after the mass killings of March 25,1971.
He had given his deposition before the International Grimes Tribunal-1 on July 15. Defence counsel yesterday completed cross-examining him.
Mizanul asked the witness whether he knew if Razakar (an auxiliary force of the Pakistan army) was formed as a volunteers' organisation in May, 1971, in Jhenidah, Satkhira, and Chuadanga, where the witness had claimed to have fought the war.
The witness replied that Ghulam Azam and other leaders formed Shanti Committee in April, 1971. "As a continuation of the process, the Razakar was formed but I cannot say the exact date. However, it [Razakar] was formed through a government ordinance,” he added.
Razakars were arrested and produced before him often during the Liberation War he claimed but could not mention any specific dates.
Mizanul Islam asked whether he knew that Al-Badr and Al-Shams were registered organisations.
Mahbub replied that he did not know about it but most of the activists of those organisations were of Islami Chhatra Sangha, a student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami during the Liberation War.
He said that he did not
know who was chief of Panjab regiment during the mass killing in Chuknagar.
In reply to another question of defence counsel, Mahbub said he did not know whether a document or blue print of intellectual killing was recovered from a leader of Muslim League.
Mizanul Islam made a suggestion to the witness that Ghulam Azam did not have power to control the crime committed by Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams during the Liberation War.
“Not true,” said the witness.
It is true that war crimes allegations were brought against Ghulam Azam dur-ing the regime of Bangabandhu, Mahbub said in reply to a suggestion of the defence.
Mizanul suggested that the incumbent government
which was also in power between 1996 and 2001 did not bring any allegations of war crimes against Ghulam Azam.
"It is because at that time there was no trial process which is required to bring allegations,” he said.
In response to another suggestion, Mahbub said it was also not true that the Awami League initiated the trial to take revenge on Jamaat since it, led by Ghulam Azam, made a coalition with BNP and was elected to power defeating Awami League in 2001.
The proceeding of the trial was adjourned until August6.
Ghulam Azam, indicted on five charges of crimes against humanity on May 13, was present for some time at the tribunal during the cross-examination.