Kazi Kabiruddin, 72, a freedom fighter and first prosecution witness in the case against Syed Mohammad Qaisar, ended his deposition by telling the war crimes tribunal about many brutalities of the accused and “Qaisar Bahini” in Habiganj during the 1971 Liberation War.
After his deposition for the second day, the defence counsel grilled him. The International Crimes Tribunal 2 then adjourned the session until today keeping the cross-examination incomplete.
The accused and his accomplices had formed and razakar groups and peace committees in May of 1971 in every union and started committing massacres. They attacked Nasirnagar, Chunarughat, Madhabpur, Bijoynagar and killed many unarmed people.
On November 15, the “Qaisar Bahini” attacked Nasirnagar police station along with the Pakistani occupation army and other razakars. They had also looted the houses of 22 Hindu-dominated villages. There they killed at least 108 unarmed civilians, the witness said.
“In the month of May, our S-force freed Qaisar’s father who was in confinement thinking that Qaisar may refrain from committing atrocities but it did not happen. He became more ferocious.
“On my return from India after training in October, I came to know that Qaisar and the Pakistani army on September 29 killed four freedom fighters including Sattar, Razzaq Wahed Ali beside Sonai River.”
He said they had named a dormitory of Habiganj Brindaban College after freedom fighter Nazim but Qaisar renamed it after he became a lawmaker.
On Sunday, the witness told the tribunal that Qaisar had been a founding member of the Peace Committee in Habiganj. The accused took part in 1970 election from Basic Democracy which was part of Muslim League under the leadership of Fazlul Quader Chowdhury.
He said “Qaisar Bahini” had killed 15-20 unarmed people in Madhabpur Bazar and three more including Wohid Hossain in Krishnanagar village.