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Khokon involved in genocide

He forced Hindus to convert to Islam, says prosecution in war crimes trial

Staff Correspondent
War crimes accused BNP leader MA Zahid Hossain Khokon forced Hindus to convert to Islam in Faridpur during the Liberation War in 19 71, the prosecution told the court.
Khokon, a fugitive who appears to be living in Sweden now with his son and
daughter, faces 11 charges over his alleged involvement in killing, genocide, torture, abduction and confinement during the war.
While placing closing arguments at International Crimes Tribunal-1, Prosecutor Mokhlesur Rahman Badal claimed that it had been proved "beyond any reasonable doubt" that the accused was involved in forced conversions in 1971.
One of the charges pertaining to the case notes that Khokon and his cohorts raided the homes of Hindus in Bagutia village of Faridpur, forcefully converted them to Islam and given them Muslim names.
The 23 rd prosecution witness, who had been among the victims, testified in court in this regard on March 24.
Referring to his deposition, Mokhlesur said the accused had done so to destroy the identities of Hindus and force them to leave the country. The defence failed to disprove the witness's statement during cross-examination, he added.
Defence counsel Abdus Shukur Khan had tried to establish that there was another Khokon in Faridpur, who had committed the crimes and his client MA Zahid Hossain Khokon was not that person.
The prosecutor yesterday said every witness had confirmed during
their cross-examination that the person they were talking about had two brothers, Zafar and Hudu, which matched with the family details of the accused the defence cited while placingarguments.
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, 1971.
There is no doubt that the accused is the person who committed the war crimes mentioned in the charges, the prosecutor said.
Mokhlesur placed arguments over five charges and will continue on April 15 as the case was adjourned untilthen.
Khokon, a close associate of Abul Kalam Azad, a condemned war criminal from Faridpur, participated in an election campaign for a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in 1970. He was involved with the Jamaat and joined the BNP later.
As vice-president of Nagarkanda municipality BNP, Khokon was elected mayor there in 2011.