A new prosecution witness in the case against war crimes accused Mir Kashem Ali, also Jamaat-e-Islami Executive Committee member, yesterday described about his abduction and torture at Daleem Hotel – a torture camp of al-Badr in Chittagong.
SM Sarwar Uddin, 59, said al-Badr members had called the accused “commander.” He is the 19th prosecution witness in the case. On Sunday, his brother SM Jamal Uddin, 75, testified at the International Crimes Tribunal 2.
Sarwar said: “On November 29, I was at my cousin’s house. Around 4:30am, some al-Badr members along with the Pakistani Army came and started beating me. They also captured my elder brothers Kamal, Jamal Uddin, Emran and Kibria. They took us to Daleem Hotel with our hands tied from the back.
“At night, Kashem came with some al-Badr members and asked me about the position of freedom fighters. When I answered in the negative, he ordered them to beat me. After torturing me brutally, they took me to the first floor where at least 45 persons were confined.”
Sarwar said he had heard that during his confinement, the al-Badr members addressed Mir Kashem as “commander” and “Khan Shaheb.”
Mir Kashem, a key financier of Jamaat and also its treasurer, is facing 14 charges.
The same tribunal earlier in the day recorded cross-examination of Mohammad Ali Tipu, 64, in the case against war crimes suspect Syed Mohammad Qaisar.
The witness testified on March 20.
