& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Al-Badr, Biharis killed 10 in a Faridpur village

Witness testifies against Mojaheed

Staff Correspondent
Members of Peace Committee and Al-Badr and Biharis killed at least 10 people at a Hindu village in Faridpur on the very day Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and other Peace Committee leaders held a meeting there on May 13,1971, a prosecution witness testified yesterday.
Chitta Ranjan Saha, who lost his elder brother in the incident, told the International Crimes THbunal-2 that Mojaheed and some other people had formed Peace Committee after Pakistani army entered Faridpur during the Liberation War.
"I want justice," the 80-year-old 12th prosecution witness said with tears rolling down his face.
Meanwhile, a war-wounded freedom fighter testified that Pakistani army at Abdul Alim's direction took away 13 people from Akkelpur in Joypurhat and nine of them were gunned down later.
Jahidul Islam, ninth prosecution witness in the case, also said Alim used to dictate members of the Peace Committee and Razakar force about their duties during the war.
Peace Committee and Razakar Bahini, two antiliberation forces, collaborated with the Pakistani army in committing genocides and other crimes against humanity during the nine-month-long war, according to prosecution document.
Saidur Rahman, second prosecution witness in the case against Alim, gave almost similar description in his testimony.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Judge M Shahinur Islam recorded their testimonies before adjourning both the cases until today.
The tribunal indicted Jamaat Secretary General Mojaheed, also a former minister of the BNP-led four-party government, with seven charges and Alim, a member of BNP founder late president Ziaur Rahman's cabinet, with seventeen charges of crimes against humanity committed during the war.
During his 38-minute testimony, Chitta from
Bakchar of Faridpur said he was involved in the Language Movement in 1952 and took part in the election campaign for an Awami League candidate in the 1970's elections.
"At that time [1970], Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and some other people took part in the election campaign for the Muslim League. I had seen him [Mojaheed] but he was not acquainted with me," he added.
Chitta said Pakistani army had entered Faridpur town on April 21,1971 and afterwards, Mojaheed and some other people formed the Peace Committee. After some days, Razakar and Biharis (Urduspeaking people) attacked their village and burned down houses, he added.
"My brother remained in the village to rebuild the house, but out of fear I left the village and took shelter in the house of Deben Ghosh of Laxmipur village and was running a shop at Kalilpur market," said Chitta.
Around 10:00 to 11:00am on May 13, Chitta saw up to 12 people passing through his shop on an uncovered jeep towards the nearby board office, said the witness, adding, "I got panicked watching them and asked some prominent persons of the
market about their identity.
"They informed me that a meeting over Machchar Union Peace Committee will be held at Khalilpur and that's why Peace Committee men Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Advocate Afzal, Alauddin Kha, Kalu Bihari and some other people came from Faridpur."
Chitta left the market quickly but came back around 3:00pm to get information about the Peace Committee meeting, said the witness.
"I was informed by Lokman Kha, Abdus Salam Mollah and Sohrab Sarder that members of the Peace Committee, Al-Badr and Biharis had gone to our Bakchar Hindu village and many people were killed there, "said Chitta.
"I started for Bakchar to enquire about my brother. When I reached his house, my sister-in-law informed me that he was killed," said Chittaintears.
Around eight to ten people including Prafulla Mitra, Nripen Sikder, Upen Saha, Sanu Saha, and some others were killed that day, he added.
"They were shot dead at Bakchar Shree Angan and I had seen their bodies there," he said.
One of his cousins' female relative, who had
taken shelter at his house, was brutally tortured before being shot dead, said Chitta.
"Members of Shanti Committee [Peace Committee], Al-Badr and Biharis, whose names I have mentioned earlier, killed [her]," said Chitta.
Meanwhile, during his 39-minute testimony, Jahidul Islam from Akkelpur of Joypurhat said he was a higher secondary student during the war. He along with 13 other people started for India on May 7 or 8 after the war started, he added.
"When we reached Bhatsha union around 11:00pm, we heard sound of bombing and shooting and got dispersed," said Jahidul.
He said he had taken shelter in a nearby house. Members of the house told him that 13 others of his group had gone to the house of one Syed Ali Doctor, who confined them at his guest house.
He returned home and informed Rahim Uddin, brother of Samir Uddin Mandol, who was in their 14-member group, and Rahim went to Syed Ali, added Jahidul.
"Later I learned from Rahim that Razakar commander Abdul Alim and his men of Shanti Committee and Pakistani
army had come to Syed Ali's house and the army took three of the 13 people."
He added 10 others were handed over to the Razakar and Peace Committee men.
Jahidul said the 10 were detained at the waiting room of Akkelpur Railway Station for three days. He had seen them at the waiting room one day and heard rumour they would be handed over to the Pakistani army, he added.
"In the morning [of the third day] I went towards Akkelpur Railway Station and saw Abdul Alim, Azim Munshi, Noor Bakht and Matiur Rahman Chairman there and under their instruction, Khan sena [Pakistani army] took away the 10," said Jahidul.
"Later, I heard that the ten were shot by a pond at Koktara near Panchbibi station. Nine of them died on the spot and one escaped with injury," said Jahidul, adding, after the incident he left for India.
The tribunal also heard the closing arguments of the defence of another Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah for the sixth day yesterday.
Defence counsel Abdus Sobhan Tarafder placed his arguments before the tribunal adjourned the case proceeding until today.