A new prosecution witness in the trial against former Jatiya Party lawmaker engineer Abdul Jabbar yesterday said the accused had ordered the killing of his uncle.
Jonoprasad Paik, 62, a freedom fighter from Phuljhuri village under Mothbaria of Pirojpur, also described the forceful conversion of almost 200 Hindus including him.
Testifying as the 13th prosecution witness at the International Crimes Tribunal 1, he said upon the order of the accused, the local razakars had converted them in May 1971. He had to take a Muslim name, Jabbar Khan, while his family members observed Muslim rituals to save life.
The witness said Jabbar’s men had raided Paik Para of Phuljhuri in late May and forced 150 to 200 Hindus including him to convert to Islam. “While they gave us Muslim names, they also used to monitor to make sure that we say prayers regularly.”
He said because of intolerable torture, “we fled to India and I took training to participate in the war. After the training period, I entered Bangladesh and joined the war.”
He also said on May 17, the Pakistani occupation forces and razakars led by Jabbar, surrounded the village from three sides. They looted at least 360 houses. “When my uncle Sharda Kanto Paik tried to escape to save life, the army personnel shot him dead upon instruction of Jabbar.”
After his deposition, the trial was adjourned until today when state-appointed defence counsel Mohammad Abul Hasan will cross examine him.
Fugitive Jabbar, then chairman of Mathbaria Peace Committee, is facing five charges of crimes against humanity.
