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Alim handed over 28 to Pak army for killing

War crimes witness tells tribunal

Staff Correspondent
War crimes accused Abdul Alim handed over 28 Bangalees to the Pakistani army to have them killed and they were shot at places in Joypurhat in 1971, said a witness before International Crimes Tribunal-2.
None but one survived.
Saidur Rahman, a former
yesterday also spoke about the former BNP lawmaker's role in the formation of the Razakar force and the Shanti Committee in the district.
The Razakar force and the Shanti Committee were two auxiliary forces of the Pakistani army.
The witness also spoke about “Alim's control over the
member of Akkelpur Sarbadaliya Sangram Committee (pro-liberation Allparty action committee) in Joypurhat,
Pakistani army and its auxiliary forces during the war”.
SEE PAGE 19 COL 1
FROM PAGE 20
On the activities of Alim, the 67-year-old witness said the then Convention Muslim League leader Alim was the leader of Joypurhat Shanti Committee and threatened Bangalees so that they do not join the LiberationWar.
“I have seen some incidents with my own eyes and I heard of some from others,” said Saidur, the second prosecution witness in war crimes case against Alim.
Abdul Alim, the 81-one-year-old politician and former minister of Ziaur Rahman's cabinet, was present at courtroom yesterday.
He is now on bail.
The three-member tribunal headed by its Chairman Justice ATM Fazle Kabir with member Justice Obaidul Hassan and Judge M Shahinur Islam recorded the testimony. RAZAKAR AND SHANTI COMMITTEE FORMATION During his 83-minute testimonyyesterday, Saidur said in mid-April 1971, Abdul Alim formed the Shanti Committee in Joypurhat with the directives of his high ups.
He said following Alim's instruction, the Shanti Committee was formed in every police station in Joypurhat, including Akkelpur.
Alim then instructed the formation of the Razakar force inJoypurhat.
The Razakars were recruited at the ground floor of Alim's home, said the witness.
Saidur said Alim led the setting up of offices of Shanti Committee, Razakars, Major Afzal, and Pakistan Army officials at Shownlal Bajla's home, said the witness.
Alim also established Shanti Committee office and Pakistan army camp at Akkelpur, said Saidur.
Saidur said he along with some other members of Akkelpur all-party action committee went to Panchbibi upazila to meet the leaders of the Panchbibi action commit-teeonApril 19,1971.
They stayed the night there.
The next day, a group of Pakistan army troops led by Abdul Alim and Panchbibi Peace Committee leader Joybar attacked Panchbibi from the east.
They looted and torched homes, and conducted mass killing there, said the witness, adding that around noon, they looted the home of Meher Uddin Chowdhury before setting it alight.
When he was returning to Akkelpur through Joypurhat, he heard that people attacked Abdul Alim's home following the Panchbibi incident, said Saidur.
Alim managed to escape through the back door of his home.
KILLINGOF12
Saidur said on May 7,1971, a group of 13-14 people were leaving the country after becoming victims of the Pakistani army's atrocities.
When they reached Bhatsha union at night, Syed
Ali Doctor, a cohort of Alim and the then Chairman of Bhatsha union, allured them to stay the night at his place, said Saidur.
Syed locked them in his home, informed Alim and Alim's cohort Matiur Rahman on that night about the matter.
"On May 8 morning, Abdul Alim along with the Pakistani army troops appeared and Matiur Rahman also came and after holding a meeting, three of the detained were handed over to the Pakistani army in Joypurhat and the rest 10 were handed over to a team comprising of Pakistani army soldiers and Razakars,” said Saidur.
“They [the 10 people] were kept detained at the waiting room of Akkelpur Railway Station and among them, one Abdus Salam was my childhood friend," said the witness.
He said he heard the whole story from Salam through a window at the rear of the waitingroom.
The next day, he heard that the three handed over to the Pakistani army were killed at Khanjanpur Khuthibari following Abdul Alim's instruction, said Saidur.
The next day, Alim showed up in Akkelpur again and after holding a meeting with the Shanti Committee members, he handed over the 10 detainees to the Pakistan army.
He said, "The Pakistani army shot them after taking them near a pond at Koktara and all but one were killed.” KILLINGOF15
On June 14,1971, members of Akkelpur Shanti Committee detained 15 people led by one Khokan Paikar when they were passing through Akkelpur on way to Bogra.
The Shanti Committee members took them to their local office, said the witness.
Saidur said after getting information, Abdul Alim went to Akkelpur and held a meeting with the local Shanti Committee members.
He decided to hand over the detainees to the Pakistani army.
"Alim directed the Pakistani army to kill the detainees after brutal torture and following this, the Pakistani army took them to Akkelpur Senior Madrasa where they were hung from trees and beaten with thorny branches of date trees.”
In critical condition they were taken to Amtra village where they were forced to dig their own graves along with some locals and were buried there after being shot dead, said the witness.
Khokan was killed and buried separately in the village.
Replying to a tribunal query, Saidur said he had seen the torture.
KILLING OF 3
The witness said on October 8, 1971, under the directives of Abdul Alim, three youths were forced to disgracefully travel through Joypurhat town on a flatbed truck.
And it was announced that
those who would dared to join the Liberation War would have the same fate.
The next day, they were taken to Joypurhat Degree College the same way, said Saidur, adding that he later came to know that the youths were killed at Khanjanpur Kuthibari that evening.
"I have seen the incident of October 8,” Saidur replied to a court'squery.
PHOTO SHOOT WITH PAKISTANI ARMY
Saidur said in the latter part June, 1971, when he went to Joypurhat for some action committee work, he saw Abdul Alim, Major Afzal, a Pakistani army official, and 26 civilians were having their photos taken at Joydevpur Railway Station.
"Later, I came to know that the photo was taken by Motassim Billah, owner of Alokhela Studio and a copy of the photo was collected by one Abdul Hai, brother of martyred Fazlul Karim," said the witness.
He said, "Altafur Rahman, the investigation officer of the case seized the photo from Abdul Hai and I have signed the seizure list.”
During charge framing hearing, the prosecution said Alim had his photo taken with the 26 freedom fighters and a Pakistani army officer and the collaborators later killed the 26 freedom fighters on Alim's directives.
"I think, Alim tired to get some reward from Pakistan [government] by submitting the photo,” said Saidur.
After Saidur, who began testifying Monday, finished his deposition, defence counsel Munshi Ahsan Kabir cross-examinedhim.
Saidur was asked only three questions before the tribunal adjourned the case proceeding until September 10. Rana Dasgupta appeared on behalf of the prosecution team.
On June 11, the tribunal framed 17 specific charges of crimes against humanity against Alim, which included genocide, murder of Bangalee civilians, and burying people alive during the war.
MOJAHEED'SCASE
The tribunal yesterday deferred cross-examination of eminent writer and journalist Shahriar Kabir, the first prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, to today.
It was deferred following a time petition from the defence.
Defence counsel Tajul Islam sought the adjournment saying that Mizanul Islam, who was specially appointed for cross-examination of Shahriar Kabir, could not appear before the tribunal as he was engaged with another case at Tribunal-1.
Prosecution opposed the defence plea and Shahriar Kabir alleged that the defence sought the adjournment to "harasshim".