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War Crimes Trial of BNP Leader Khokon

Survivor testifies on killing attempt

Staff Correspondent
A prosecution witness yesterday told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 how he had cheated death when war crimes accused fugitive BNP leader Zahid Hossain Khokon shot him in early June during the Liberation War.
"Khokon pointed a rifle at my chest. I was praying to God and looking at the trigger. When he pulled the trigger, I jumped to my left, but the bullet hit my right hand," said witness Kanai Lal Mondol, who hailed from Jongurdi-Bagutia village in Faridpur.
"I rested my hand on my chest and was bleeding profusely. They | Khokon and his associate Aynal razakar) thought I was dead and left the scene," Kanai said, adding, his brother later rescued him.
Two other witnesses yesterday testified against Khokon. One of them lost his home as Khokon and his accomplices set it on fire on May 31,1971.
Another witness described a massacre led by Razakar commander Khokon and his associates along with the Pakistani army in which 38 people were killed, three women were raped and scores of houses were looted and burned down.
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Second prosecution witness Kanai who was about 18 during the war said he had received training from Surjo Molla and Ali Molla at Nagarkanda.
The witness said after arrival of the Pakistani army in Faridpur in April, he returned home from the training.
Khokon, his elder brother Zafar and Ayna I took training from the Pakistani army and went to the Hindu majority Jongurdi-Bagutia village at the end of May. "They burned down one of our and a neighbour's houses," said the sexagenarian witness.
"They | Khokon and others] forcefully converted our neighbours - Bhuban Das, Sontosh Das, Jibon Das, Khettromohon Das and Nitai Das and their wives - to Muslims," said Kanai, adding, the victims had to wear Islamic caps.
Khokon's brother Zafar, who was a Razakar commander of Nagarkanda, was killed in a combat between freedom fighters and the Pakistani army and its auxiliary force Razakar on
May 29.
After Zafar's death, Khokon took charge as the Razakar commander and became more furious against the freedom fighters, the witness said.
He added Khokon told him before shooting that he must die as the freedom fighters had killed Zafar.
First prosecution witness Abul Kashem, who was 15 and lived at Kodalia village in Faridpur during the war, said Khokon and his associates looted and set fire to the houses of Bangram and detained 17 people.
The 17 were taken to Nagarkanda and were tortured for two days. Khokon and his associates later freed them in exchange of Tk 10,000 in ransom paid by the villagers.
On May 27, Khokon and Razakars went to Ghandhaat village in Banikpara where they looted houses and raped three women, said Kashem, who verified the incident from freedom fighter commander Aziz Molla.
The witness said he had seen Khokon and his
associates along with the Pakistani army committing the massacre at Bangram three days later.
"I went to the house of Sattar Mia where I found 16 bodies," he said, adding, four other bodies were also seen.
The witness said three elderly and sick persons were killed on May 31 and Khokon was involved in the killings.
They [Khokon and his associates] killed about 15 people of Churaichar and Baghat on June 1.
Third prosecution witness Iqram Molla corroborated the incident of the 17 people's detention at Bangram.
Iqram also said his house was burned to ashes by Khokon and his associates on May 31.
State-appointed defence counsel Abdus Shukur Khan cross-examined the witnesses after their deposition.
Khokon is facing 11 charges for his alleged involvement in killing, genocide, torture, abduction and confinement during the war.
The proceeding of the case was adjourned until