Some Pakistan army personnel had abducted and killed Kasimuddin, the head Maulana of Pabna Zilla School during the 1971 Liberation War in presence of Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, who is facing war crimes charges, a new prosecution witness told the court Tuesday.
In his deposition, freedom fighter Yusuf Ali Bishwas said the Pakistani occupation army with the help of local razakars had committed massacre in Santhia of Pabna. They also raped women and conducted arson attacks at his village Bharara in Pabna. At the time, Nizami was the president of Islami Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat.
Yusuf appeared in the the International Crimes Tribunal 1 as the 21st witness for the prosecution in the case and gave his deposition on charge number one.
The defence then cross examined him, and leaving it incomplete sought an adjournment.
They alleged that the witness’ deposition did not match with the statement he had given to the investigation officer earlier.
The tribunal led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir adjourned the session till today.
The witness said he had joined the Pakistan army in 1970. When he was in training at East Bengal Regimental Centre (EBRC), Maj Kamal on March 24, 1971 had taken away weapons from every Bangalee.
But the officers did not surrender their weapons. That day many Bangalee soldiers died.
“That day, our leaders told us to seize weapons from the armoury and get involve in war. As our bullets were finished, we escaped the place and went to Swandeep and then Hatia. From there we went to Pabna on March 30.”
Yusuf said then he had started giving training to others when Nizami, Maulana Sobhan and Maulana Ishaque created Peace Committee. The witness claimed that the committee had listed the names of Awami League leaders and killed them.
The Pakistani army along with local collaborators also raped women in those areas.
“On June 9, I went to Madhpur village to see my friend Sekander Ali. Arshad Ali and Kuddus were with me. We talked how we can join in war and when to take training from India. The next day, we went to Madhpur local market to have breakfast. Then we saw two pick-up vans and Nizami on one with a Pakistani officer.” Yusuf said he had seen three persons blindfolded with black cloth on the vehicle.
Then they hid in a room nearby the market and saw the van going towards Santhia. “After around 15 minutes, we heard sound of firing from near the Ichhamoti River. Then the vehicles returned with Nizami and went towards Pabna town. Then we went river bank and saw three bodies. When I put off the blindfold, I identified one of them to be Maulana Kasimuddin.”
In response to a defence question, the witness said at least 300 unarmed civilians had been killed in his village Bharara by the Pakistani army between May and June of 1971.
