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War Crimes Trial

Witness testifies against Azhar

Staff Correspondent
A prosecution witness yesterday described how narrowly his father had escaped death when the Pakistan occupation army accompanied by the then Islami Chhatra Sangha president of Rangpur town ATM Azharul Islam shot him during the Liberation War.
Advocate Rathish Chandra Bhowmik, 13th prosecution witness in the war crimes case against Azharul, told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that his maternal uncle Shanti Chaki was killed in the same incident on April 14, 1971.
The witness' father, Dinesh Chandra Bhowmik alias Montu Daktar, was a homeopath and president of Awami Krishak League of Rangpur district.
Rathish said the Pakistani army and their local collaborators, including the Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Sangha, had cordoned off their house at Babupara in the town on March 27.
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They had heavily knocked on the door and ordered the family to open it, the witness said, adding, his father opened the door in good faith.
"Colonel Sab salam diya hai (Mr colonel has summoned you]. Come with us now," said the witness, quoting the Pakistani army.
The army forced his father and maternal uncle into a jeep and confined them in a cell at Rangpur Cantonment.
There were nine other detainees in that cell, including eminent persons of Rangpur like Durgadas Adhikary, his son Uttam Adhikary and income tax lawyer ABY MahfuzAli.
“The detainees were tortured every night until April 13,1971,"hesaid.
Rathish added the Pakistani army and their local collaborators, including Azharul, had taken all the detainees with their hands and legs tied to Dakhinganj Cemetery around 2:30am onApril 14.
"They opened fire on them. As my father was beside a pillar and fell on the ground as soon as the shooting began, no bullet hit him," the witness said.
But the occupation force was not satisfied and opened fire again to ensure the detainees' death. This time eight bullets pierced through Mahfuz
Ali's body and hit Dinesh's left leg and right thumb.
"Everyone thought my father had been killed," he said, adding, the Pakistan army left the spot assuming everybody dead.
Dinesh managed to crawl to a neighbour's house and with their help crossed the border to India after receiving primary treatment.
Rathish and his other family members had also left to India, met their father, and heard about the incident.
Following the deposition, the defence began cross-examining the witness until the three-member tribunal adjourned the proceeding until today.
Azharul faces six charges of murder, genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the war. He was present at the dock yesterday.
MOBARAK'S CASE
Earlier, prosecutor Sahidur Rahman yesterday began placing arguments in the war crimes case against Mobarak Hossain, former Jamaat-e-Islami member who later got affiliated with the Awami League.
The prosecutor placed arguments on three out of five charges brought against Mobarak. His arguments were based on the testimony and cross-examination of the prosecution and
the defence witnesses.
The proceedings of the case were adjourned until today.
ICT-2
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday completed recording the cross-examination of Golam Noor, 13th prosecution witness in the case against Syed Mohammad Qaisar.
Noor on Thursday testified that Qaisar along with his cohorts and the Pakistani army had launched a synchronised attack on 22 villages in Brahmanbaria that left 108 people, mosdy Hindus, dead on November 15,1971.
Qaisar's counsel SM Shahjahan yesterday completed his cross-examination saying his client was not involved in any such incidents and the witness had given "false testimony". The witness, however denied the defence's suggestion.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Shahinur Islam adjourned the proceeding until today.
Qaisar, a state minister of the Ershad regime, faces 16 charges, including genocide committed in Brahmanbaria and Habiganj during the war. The 73-year-old accused, however, pleaded not guilty before the court.