The residents of Hindu-dominated Kundeshwari and Jogotmollopara areas under Raozan upazila in Chittagong, where death row convict Salauddin Quader Chowdhury carried out genocide in 1971, were fearing reprisal even after the verdict yesterday.
Amid full-proof security blanket, most of the doors were kept closed from inside while the locals did not want to talk to the media.
Local Awami League leaders and Gonojagoron Moncho activists brought out processions and distributed sweetmeats after the verdict. However, the top leaders of local BNP did not want to make any comment over the verdict.
Son of Convention Muslim League leader Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, Salauddin used to live in Gohira area of Raozan in 1971. All the members of his family were against Bangladesh’s struggle for independence.
Salauddin was elected as lawmaker from Raozan-Rangunia constituency for several times after the independence. Their Goods Hill residence in Gani Bakery Road area of the port city had been used to torture the freedom fighters.
Pradip Kumar Das, OC of Raozan police, said there was no untoward incident in the area. But he could not understand why the residents were in anxiety. “No incident of violence or attacks was reported when the tribunal sentenced Salauddin to death in 2013,” he said.
Prosecution witness Prafulla Ranjan Singha, son of Nutan Chandra Singha who had been killed by Salauddin, said justice has been served through the verdict.
Raozan upazila Awami League President Shafiqul Islam Chowdhury said anti-British fighter Masterda Surya Sen’s Raozan has been freed from stigma by this verdict.
Gonojagoron Moncho in Chittagong, several organisations of freedom fighters and pro-liberation forces brought out rejoice processions in the city in favour of the verdict.
Prosecution witness Mohammad Salimullah, who had been tortured at the Goods Hill, demanded that the house be taken over by the government and made a museum for the future generation “so that they can learn the history of the country and the betrayers.”
He also thinks the government should confiscate all the properties of Salauddin’s family.