A new prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami Sunday said some Pakistani army personnel along with local Bihari community people had killed his father Moazzem Hossain and maternal uncle during the Liberation War.
Tahurul Alam Molla, 62, a freedom fighter, described the incident he had seen and heard from others. Hailing from Sher shah Road of Ishwardi, he is the 20th witness in the case.
The witness also alleged that all the massacres in Ishwardi of Pabna during the war had taken place on the orders of Nizami.
After his deposition, the defence started cross examining him and sought adjournment to complete within the next day. The International Crimes Tribunal 1, headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, adjourned the proceedings till today.
On the last day, the tribunal ordered that the proceedings in the case would continue every working day.
Nizami was indicted on May 28 last year on 16 counts of crimes against humanity he allegedly committed in Pabna and Dhaka during the war. The charges include genocide, rape, torture, abduction, confinement and conspiracy.
Before the deposition of Tahurul, the defence cross examined the 19th witness, Abu Shama Fakir. They took the first session to complete the grilling.
The tribunal chairman was not present after the lunch break. The two other members of the tribunal then recorded the deposition of Tahurul.
The witness said in 1970, he was a first year student of Jinnah Collage, now Ishwardi Collage, and was the joint secretary of Awami League’s college unit. After the operation searchlight on March 25, 1971 when the Pakistani occupation army had tried to enter and attack Ishwardi, “we opposed them and till April 11, Ishwardi was free from enemies.”
He claimed that the activists of Jamaat, Nezam-e-Islam and Jamaat’s student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha were with the army during attack on March 26.
Then, prosecutor Mohammad Ali stood up and noted that the witness actually meant to say “Motiur Rahman Nizami” instead of “Nezam-e-Islami.” The defence protested and the tribunal did not take on record the change.
The witness said after March 26, their family fled the village with his mother and siblings. “But my father was not ready to go. He was a religious person. So he believed that nobody will do any harm to him. He along with my maternal uncle, paternal cousin and nephew took shelter in central mosque of Ishwardi.”
He said Khoda Box Khan, an MPA candidate from Jamaat in 1970, had established his office adjacent to the mosque. “I came to know that they listed the names of those who took shelter at the mosque. On April 13, first they killed my uncle. When I reached there with my friend Fazlur Rahman, neighbours told us that some army men in a white jeep had come with Nizami, Maulana Sobhan and Maulana Ishaque.”
On April 17, along with his friend Fazlur, the witness returned to the place and saw a white jeep. “Nizami, Maulana Sobhan and Maulana Ishaque came and talked with Khoda Box. After sometime, several Pakistani army personnel came with some Biharis and took my father out of the mosque. They killed him in front of my eyes.” He said he saw his father being stabbed from a distance of 10-15 yards. “I cannot forget my father’s last words, Allahuakbar,” he added.
After his deposition, tribunal member Justice Jahangir Hossain said he could not relate the witness’s deposition with charge no 5. The prosecution could not explain their position. The charge states the killing of 21 unarmed civilian and mentions the name of the killed person. The witness’s father’s name was in that list.
The same tribunal Sunday deferred till September 18 the hearing on a petition seeking discharge of Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam from war crimes charges.
Earlier on September 3, the prosecution ended hearing on the charge framing against Azhar and presented legal aspects before the tribunal.
Meanwhile, at the tribunal 2, the closing arguments of the prosecution in the case against Abdul Alim continued for the second day.
After a whole day’s session, the tribunal adjourned the proceedings till today.
