A prosecution witness on Tuesday told the war crimes tribunal that Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf, also the alleged founder of razakar force, had instructed to shoot some unarmed Hindus and two pro-liberation people in Morolganj of Bagerhat during the 1971 Liberation War.
Second prosecution witness Nasir Uddin Ahmed claimed his two friends – freedom fighter Abu Bakar and social worker Abdul Majid were killed by razakars upon Yusuf’s order and in his presence.
Razakars, formed with the members of Jamaat, had collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces and committed crimes against humanity against the pro-liberation forces.
Freedom fighter Nasir said they had attacked the Morolganj razakar camp on May 13, 1971 but was failed to take over that camp. “One of our fellow freedom fighter Abu Bakar was shot in this operation and he took shelter in one Ramzan Kazi’s home. However, later, he was confined by the razakars from that home and later killed following the order of Yusuf and in his presence.”
Nasir also told in the International Crimes Tribunal 2 that on May 19, 1971 the accused delivered a public speech and called upon the people to eliminate the pro-liberation and Hindu people.
“After his speech, the same day local razakars started looting properties of the unarmed people particularly those belonged to the Hindus. Around 400-500 Hindu houses were looted and burnt down to ashes in Morolganj. Three Hindus were also shot to death at that time,” Nasir, who hails from Morolganj, said.
He said the razakars had confined Radhe Shyam’s son Shanti Ranjan Dash, Satya Ranjan Dash and Keshab Dash along with Amar Das, Shankar Das and Pijush Kanti Ghorai. All of them were taken to Morolganj launch terminal.
The witness also submitted that he had eye-witnessed the shooting on these Hindus in presence of Yusuf. “I hid myself in that launch terminal to see what happen to the confined persons. Around midnight, Yusuf came to the place and told razakars ‘Why have you kept these persons alive? We have to go to Bagerhat, kill them.’ Then the razakar started shooting which left Shanti, Keshab and Satya died there. Later the razakars also shot Amar Das but he managed to jump into the river and escape. Seeing all these, Pijush manage to run away.”
There were two lights in the terminal and the confined persons were being identified by the razakars by torch lights, he added. “After the atrocities, Yusuf left for Khulna with a gunboat.”
Sixty-seven year old Nasir claimed that Yusuf had formed Peace Committee in Khulna and was chairman of that committee. “He picked up youths form different areas of Khulna and used to appoint them as razakars. He also was the man who provided training to these razakars. He used to deploy razakars in different areas of Khulna including Morolganj and Sharankhola.”
Later, defence lawyer Saifur Rahman cross examined the witness. The cross examination remained unfinished and the tribunal set October 31 for further procedure of the case.