The war crimes tribunal Thursday started trial of Jamaat-e- Islami leader AKM Yusuf, the alleged founder of razakar force that sided with the Pakistani occupation army during the 1971 Liberation War.
Earlier on August 1, the tribunal indicted the war crimes accused on 13 counts of charges which include genocide, killing, arson and looting.
The trial began at the tribunal 2 headed by its Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan.
Prosecutors in their opening statement said the accused formed the razakar force on May 5, 1971 at an Ansar camp on Khan Jahan Ali Road in Khulna with Jamaat activists. Later, he also formed peace committees in every sub-division, police station and union in the region.
After the opening statement, prosecutor Syed Haider Ali placed the first prosecution witness, Liakat Ali Khan, 63.
Later, defence lawyer Syed Mizanur Rahman started cross examining the first witness. The tribunal set September 26 for further procedure of the case.
The witness who hails from Shantidanga in Morelganj in Khulna mainly highlighted the commanding role of Yusuf on the razakar force during the war.
Yusuf was present at the tribunal.
Liakat said after March 26, 1971, he along with some youths had been preparing themselves to build resistance. “There were around 35 youths in our group which was active since April 28 on different activities in different areas.
“On April 28, I saw Yusuf delivering speech at a rally in Sanyasi Market in Khaoulia union. May be that particular rally was organised by Peace Committee. I heard Yusuf saying, ‘No Hindu can live in this country. They and the pro-liberation people are India’s collaborators. We will protect the sovereignty of Pakistan at any cost. Youths will join in Peace Committee.’
“He also directed the Peace Committee activists to form razakar force. At the same meeting, he also made a list containing 30 names of youths and signed it. These youths were taken by Yusuf to Khulna just after the meeting,” the witness said.
Later on, he had heard from others that Yusuf conducted another meeting in Sharankhola and again listed 40-50 youths. A number of 96 youths were taken to Khulna Ansar camp for training as razakar.
Liakat said how he and his companion on May 13 had tried to build resistance against 25-30 razakars who were trained in Khulna Ansar Camp. “These razakars established a camp at Baroikhali of Morelganj on May 5. We attacked the Baroikhali razakar camp but were defeated since they were heavily armed.”
He also said his companion Abu Bakar, who was injured in the fight, had subsequently been confined by those razakars and the Pakistani occupational army.
“Later, from a building I saw he was being tortured by them. I also saw Yusuf instructing razakars and the army to kill Abu Bakar. Later, he was shot dead by razakars,” Liakat added.
On May 17, 1971, accompanied by Pakistani army and razakars, Yusuf had gone to Morelganj market by gunboats and launches, and attacked the market. They set fire and looted around 400- 500 shops and houses there. Most of these houses belonged to Hindus at that time. Yusuf was leading the group and they left the market once they were done with looting, the witness said.
Liakat said around 8pm on May 19, Yusuf again had gone to Morelganj with his followers. The razakars started searching every house following his order. “At that time, I was in hide. I heard him saying ‘if you can find any pro-liberation or Hindu people, bring them here.’ Following his order, few razakars went to one home and confined three brothers Shantiranjan Das, Satyaranjan Das and Shankar Das, and Amar Das and Pijuskanti Ghorail. They were tortured till midnight and later were brought to Morelganj Launch terminal.
“There were three razakars – Abdus Salam, Mohammad Ali and Amir Ali, who were known as jollad [Lucifer]. Yusuf ordered them to kill the five. Following his instruction, three razakar first shot three brothers one by one and kicked the bodies into the river. Seeing this, Amar jumped into the river and managed to survive but he got shot in his hand. Few men were holding Pijus’s lungi. But he was so afraid, by seeing all these, that he left his lungi and ran away and survived,” Liakat said. “Pijus is still alive and living in Morelganj market area,” he added.
The witness said Yusuf had also ordered his fellows to kill one Abdul Majid since he supported the war and helped Liakat’s groups in various ways.
