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Mollah fired on people

War crimes witness says 60 killed in a day at Keraniganj

Staff Correspondent
War crimes accused Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah directly took part in killing of around 60 people at Ghatarchar in Keraniganj on November 25, 1971, an eyewitness told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday.
Abdul Majid Palowan, a resident of Ghatarchar and seventh prosecution witness in the war crimes case against Quader Mollah, added the Jamaat leader
held a meeting at Ghatarchar on the night before the massacre.
The 55-year-old witness said he was hiding behind a tree from where he saw Quader Mollah firing on the people at Ghatarchar School ground.
Mozaffar Ahmed Khan, the first prosecution witness in the case, also narrated the same massacre in his testimony on July 3.
Mozaffar said in his testimony Quader Mollah led a team of Razakars that killed at least 57 people at Ghatarchar that day and narrated how the incident was orchestrated al a meeting of local Razakars, an auxiliary force of Pakistani invaders, with Quader Mollah.
On May 28, the tribunal framed six charges of crimes against humanity against the Jamaal assistant secretary general. The fourth charge relates to the atrocities at Ghatarchar village on the outskirts of the capital.
Majid is the second eyewitness who testified about Quader Mollah’s direct involvement in killing Bangalees during the Liberation War in 1971.
Earlier on August 1, Shafiuddin Mollah, the fifth prosecution witness in the case, told the tribunal Quader Mollah directly took part in the killing of 360-370 Bangalees at Alubdi village in Pallabi of Dhaka on April 24, 1971. He also said he had seen the Jamaal leader shooting at the people of Alubdi.
The ihree-rnember tribunal headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir with members Justice Obaidul Hassan and Judge Md Shahinur Islam adjourned the case proceeding until August 12. Defence counsel Abdus Sobhan Tarafder asked only two questions before adjournment.
Majid yesterday told the tribunal he woke up hearing sound of gunshots in the early morning on November 25, 1971 and saw fire everywhere after coming out.
" I slowly marched towards north as the sounds of gunfire were coming from that direction and stopped near the Ghatarchar School field," said the witness, adding that there were bushes in their village at that lime.
"I hid behind a tree and saw Pakistani army men were killing the people [at the school field]," said Majid, adding, "There were some civilians in punjabi and pyjama with the Pakistan army and one of them was Abdul Quader Mollah.
"There was a rifle in Quader Mollah's hand and he was shooting too," said the witness, adding that the massacre continued from early morning to 11:00am and after that Pakistani army and "force of Quader Mollah" left the spot. There were some people wearing veil to hide their identity, added the witness.
"When they left the spot, we called people and tried to identify the bodies. Around 60 people, both Hindus and Muslims, were killed there," said the witness. "When we were identifying the bodies, Mozaffar Ahmed Khan, freedom fighters' commander of Keraniganj [first prosecution witness], came to the spot and we briefed him about the incident."
Majid said when the Pakistani army and their auxiliary forces left the spot, he came to know that the short man, wearing punjabi and pyjama, was Abdul Quader Mollah.
In his testimony, Mozaffar quoted Majid and said on November 23 or 24, Dr Joynal, KG Karim Babla, Mokhter Hossain [local anti-liberation activists] organised a meeting at Ghatarchar in connivance with then Islami Chhatra
Sangha leader Abdul Quader Mollah. Quader Mollah took part in the meeting which decided to kill the unarmed people and the decision was executed on November 25.
Majid during his 22-minute testimony also said a meeting was held on the previous night of the incident at Dr Joynal's house, which was very close to Majid's place.
Majid identified Quader Mollah at dock and said he gave his statement to the investigation officer of the case on June 27 this year. PROSECUTION ABUSING POWER: DEFENCE Meanwhile, the defence yesterday alleged the prosecution is "abusing" its power given by section 9 (4) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973 in case of bringing additional prosecutionwitnesses.
Abdur Razzaq, chief of the defence of the detained Jamaal leader, said the pros-
ecution submitted a list of 40 witnesses on December 28, 2011 but only three of them have given their testimony.
In April and May, the prosecution also submitted two lists of six witnesses but three of them were testified, said Razzaq, adding that the tribunal on Tuesday again allowed a prosecution petition for tendering three more witnesses in the case.
Once the prosecution completed tendering 40 witnesses, they can bring additional witnesses upon permission of the tribunal, said the defence chief, adding, the defence have to give at least three weeks’ notice before tendering additional witness.
Opposing the defence's argument, Mohammad Ali, conducting prosecutor in Quader Mollah's case, said as per the Act, the prosecution can bring additional witnesses "at any stage of the trail" and there is no provision of law that
the defence have to notify before three weeks for bringing additional witnesses.
The tribunal said it would give reasonable time to the defence for preparing their case.
ACCUSED THREATENING WITNESSES: PROSECUTION Mohammad Ali yesterday told reporters at least three prosecution witnesses have received threats or been lured by men of the accused. Of them, one was from Alubdi village where Quader Mollah allegedly committed atrocities in 1971.
Through media, the prosecutor urged the pro-liberation force to guard the witnesses so that Jamaat, Muslim League and BNP men cannot prevent them from giving testimony.
Abdur Razzaq, however, rejected the prosecution's allegation saying, "It is not true."