A prosecution witness on Monday said war crimes accused Mobarak Hossain along with another person was in charge of a razakar camp named “Razakar Manjil” in Brahmanbaria during the 1971 Liberation War.
Eighth prosecution witness Abdus Samad also told the International Crimes Tribunal 1 that Razakar Manjil was set on a Hindu temple which had been occupied by local Peace Committee members later vandalising the idols there.
Seventy-three year old Samad said he had been with Mobarak and his team members since he was confined by them to do the chef’s duty for the razakar force. He also said they his wife, two cousins and one aunt were violated by the Pakistani occupation army during the war.
“Pakistani’s took the decision to form razakar force in Bhadra [fifth month of Bangla year] in 1971, in our village.
Mobarak along with one Kachu Miah was appointing youths as razakar members. Nazrul, Mannan, Azad, Alim, Abul, Tajul, Nuru and many others were recruited by Mobarak then. Mobarak told me ‘You know how to cook, come with us.’ Since he threatened me, I went with them,” Samad said.
Then he along with Mobarak and his team went to Brahmanbaria by train. Later they walked to a Kali Temple. “Local Peace committee members came and unlocked the door. There were some idols inside. They vandalised those and threw in the nearby pond. Later, they settled the camp there. And I was their chef,” the witness said.
He also narrated the fate of a wounded youth who was brought to the camp. “One day, a Hindu youth was brought to the camp. His wound was decomposing and he had no stamina to walk. The razakars asked him to say ‘Pakistan Zindabad,’ but he did not say it. I gave him some food. He refused it too. He had a strong will. After four or five days, I did not see him in the camp anymore. I heard that razakar commander Mobarak and Kachu killed him.”
Witness Samad, who hails from Nayadil of Akhaura, said: “Our house used to be a place where the freedom fighter came and take rest. During Baishakh [Bangla first month], our house was burnt down to ashes by the Pakistani occupation army. The armies were angry at us when they found some ammunition at our place.”
Following this, Samad said he along with his family members had fled to Akhaura border check post and came back few weeks later.
“One day, some Peace Committee members including Mobarak came to my grandmother’s house. I was living there with my family then. He asked me to go and work for Mugra Bazar Pakistani camp. Since I did not have any other choice, I went with them. At the camp, I and several others dug holes and trench which were secured by sharp-edged bamboos,” Samad said.
War crimes accused Mobarak, who is facing five charges of crimes against humanity, was in the dock.
The tribunal set September 4 for further procedure of the case.