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Mollah involved in massacre

360-370 people killed at Pallabi in Dhaka in a single day, witness tells war crimes tribunal

Staff Correspondent
War crimes accused Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah directly took part in the killing of 360-370 Bangalees at Alubdi village in Pallabi of Dhaka on April 24, 1971, an eyewitness told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday.
Shafiuddin Mollah, who' lost his uncle in the killing spree, gave his deposition before the tribunal as the sixth prosecution witness in the war crimes case against the Jamaat leader. The 60-year-old witness said he was hiding beneath a bush from where he saw Quader Mollah firing on the people at Alubdi.
The Jamaat leader is facing six charges of crimes against humanity at the tribunal. The fifth charge relates to the atrocities at Alubdi village. He was produced at the dock yesterday.
During his 33-minute testimony, Shafiuddin said at the time of Fajr prayers on April 24, 1971, a helicopter landed on the west side of his village.
"After some lime, we heard sound of gunshots from west. Simultaneously, sounds of firing were also heard from east, south and north sides of our village," said the witness, adding, "People of our village started moving frantically after hearing the gunshots."
"As faint glimmers of daylight began to spread, I saw bodies lying here and there. I hid in a pit beneath a bush," said the witness, adding, "Il was paddy harvesting season and many outsiders had come to our village to work on the occasion."
Shafiuddin said he saw Pakistani army detaining villagers and outsiders from the west side and gathering them at a place. Abdul Quader and his accomplices and non-Bangalee Biharis were also driving away people towards that spot from the east.
"After some time, I saw Abdul Quader Mollah talking with Pakistani army officers in Urdu but I could not hear anything," said Shafiuddin.
"I also saw they started shooting al the people after taking them aside. There was a rifle in Quader Mollah's hand and he was shooting too," said the witness, adding, one of his uncles Nabi Ullah Mollah was among the dead.
About 360-370 people, mostly outsiders and 70-80 of their village, were killed in the massacre that continued till around 11:00am, the witness said, adding, "All of the victims were Bangalees."
Afterwards, they looted the houses of the village before setting those on fire, he added.
The witness said he was 19 during the War and was involved in the politics of Chhatra League in 1970. All the residents of his village including their family members were supporters of Awami League, he added.
He also said Quader Mollah, his accomplices and the Biharis had taken part in the election campaign for Ghulam Azam, the then ameer of East Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami, and a candidate from Mirpur.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir with members Justice Obaidul Hassan and Judge Md Shahinur Islam also recorded cross-examination of the witness before adjourning the case proceeding until August 5.
Prosecutor Mohammad Ali conducted the testimony, while defence counsel Ekramul Huqe cross-examined the witness for five minutes and sought adjournment.
CASE OF KAMARUZZAMAN
A prosecution witness and freedom fighter yesterday told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman humiliated Syed Abdul Hannan, the then principal of Sherpur College, by smearing his face with soot and lime and forcing him to walk through the town.
Jahurul Haque Munshi Bir Pratik (Bar), the third prosecution witness in the case against Kamaruzzaman, added the Jamaat leader was the founder of Al-Badr and Al-Shams [auxiliary forces of Pakistani occupation army] in greater Mymensingh.
Jahurul Haque, who was assigned to collect information about the Al-Badr camps in the frontier, said he had heard from people about the "inhuman acts" against the principal alleg-ed 1 y committed by Kamaruzzaman.
The tribunal also recorded cross-examination of the witness before adjourning the case proceeding until today.
During his 80-minute testimony, Jahurul, who was an employee of East Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (EPIDC) during the War, said after receiving training in India, he entered Sherpur in October in disguise of a beggar.
"Al one stage, I learned that Kamaruzzaman, the Al-Badr commander of greater Mymensingh, had established a camp at the abandoned house of Surendra Saha for Pakistan army. I begged for four days around the camp and tried to collect information," the witness said.
Jahurul said one day he suddenly entered the camp and found Al-Badr member Mohan Munshi standing with a slick there.
On July 25 this year, Mohan Munshi, identifying himself as a guard of the camp, testified before the tribunal and narrated several crimes allegedly committed by Kamaruzzaman.
"I saw Kamaruzzaman and Maj Ayub going to the first floor of the camp [at Surendra Saha's house]. When they entered the first floor, I heard from the ground floor shouts calling 'ya Allah, mother, save me'," said Jahurul.
He said moments later a Pakistan army kicked him out of the camp.
Later, he heard from people that the men and women confined in the camp were killed by charging bayonet and shooting near the Sheri Bridge and their bodies were dumped in the water, Jahurul added.
"I also heard that Kamaruzzaman and Maj Ayub forced Hannan Shaheb [Principal Syed Abdul Hannan] to walk through the [Sherpur] town by smearing his face with soot and lime, shaving his head and tying rope around his waist as he kept the college closed."
On June 4, the tribunal framed seven charges against Kamaruzzaman allegedly for killing and torturing unarmed civilians during the Liberation War. The second charge relates to the "inhuman acts" against Syed Abdul Hannan.
Jahurul said Kamaruzzaman and Maj Ayub used to visit different Al-Badr training camps during the War and threatened people on loudspeakers of dire consequences if anyone helped the freedom fighters.
Mukhlesh, the then chairman of Kansha Union Parishad of Jhenaigati upazila, had gone to Sherpur town to deposit Hajj money during the War, he continued, "But some Al-Bad r men informed Kamaruzzaman that Mukhlesh helped freedom fighters and immediately, he was picked up and tortured to death al Goruhati ofBakshiganj upazila."
Jahurul also said he had seen Kamaruzzaman at an army camp set up at Sherpur Primary Teachers' Training Institute (PTI) in December 1971.
He was also tortured by the Pakistani army al that camp where he went to deliver a "surrender letter" on behalf of Brigadier Hardeb Sing Clay, an Indian army officer, Jahurul said, adding that he escaped from the camp later that day.
In his testimony, Jahurul also narrated his training days in India, several operations he had conducted during the War and appealed to the tribunal for proper punishment of the "war criminals".
After his testimony, defence counsel Kafil Uddin Chowdhury cross-examined Jahurul for around one hour and asked him around 30 questions.
Replying to a question, Jahurul said they did not make any list of people working against the Liberation War after independence; rather collected a list from the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) Office of Sherpur.
In reply to another ques-t i o n , he said, "Kamaruzzaman's name was on the list but I cannot show it now."