A prosecution witness on Wednesday claimed some razakars killed his father upon the directives of Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf, who allegedly formed a razakar force that collaborated with the Pakistani occupation army during the 1971 Liberation War.
AKM Shamsul Alam, 58, the third prosecution witness, told the International Crimes Tribunal 2 that Yusuf had instructed razakars to shoot some unarmed Hindus and one freedom fighter in Morolganj of Bagerhat. The razakars also abducted and tortured him.
Later, a junior defence lawyer started cross examining the witness as the conducting counsel was not present at the tribunal. As the cross-examination remained unfinished, the tribunal set on Thursday for further procedure of the case.
In his deposition, the witness said his father Dr Abdul Majid, who had been a physician, was targeted for helping the wounded freedom fighters during the war.
“In the afternoon on July 26, 1971, some razakars came to our house to capture my father upon instruction of Yusuf. They took him to Panguchhi River and shot him.”
He added that before his father was killed, the collaborators had taken him to a razakar camp. A razakar named Moslem Maulana compelled him to promise that he would not help any freedom fighter.
The witness also told the tribunal about the killing of freedom fighter Abu Bakar on May 12, 1971. He had been wounded during an operation and took shelter at the house of local Ramzan Kazi.
Later, the collaborators caught him from that house and later killed him in the presence of the accused.” He added that the next morning, Bakar’s brother had sought permission from Yusuf for the body.
The witness said he and Bakar’s brother had taken the body from the razakar camp which was set up at the Roy’s House.
Witness Shamsul described a mass looting and arson in the shops at Morelganj local market, particularly those belonged to the Hindus. Around 300-400 shops were looted and burnt to ashes. He claimed that he had been hiding at the market place at that time.
The witness also told the tribunal Shanti Ranjan, Sanjeet Das, Barun Das along with Amar Das, Shankar Das and Pijush Kanti Ghorai were taken to Morolganj launch terminal and killed upon order from Yusuf.
