A prosecution witness yesterday told the war crimes tribunal that he had witnessed the killing of at least 21 Hindu and pro-liberation people by the razakar force which was formed and led by accused AKM Yusuf in Bhasa village of Khulna during the 1971 Liberation War.
The 17th prosecution witness, Taiyab Ali Khan, said: “I along with my uncle Anwar Khan was at the local market of Bhasa village on Ashwin 30 [a month of Bangla calendar]. In the evening, around 50-60 razakars came to the haat and started confining people. Since, we were supporters of the Awami League, I hid myself in a sugarcane field but they confined my uncle along with other people. Altogether, the razakar confined 22 persons. Among them, 18 were Hindus.”
Later, the collaborators shot them indiscriminately. “Except one, all of them died on the spot. Sunil was the only one who survived even after getting shot and charged by bayonet,” said Taiyab, 85, told the International Crimes Tribunal 2.
“I searched for my uncle’s body and found him in a canal. I found Sunil breathing when I was looking for my uncle,” he added.
Earlier, Taiyab also told the tribunal that Yusuf had been the chairman of Khulna district Peace Committee in 1971. Later, he had formed the razakar force and instructed them to eliminate the Hindus and the pro-liberation people.