The trial of Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Abdus Subhan began at the war crimes tribunal yesterday with the prosecution’s opening statement in the case, nearly two months after his indictment.
Prosecutors Zead-al-Malum, Sultan Mahmud Simon and Rezia Sultana Chaman read out the 80-page opening statement. After that, the International Crimes Tribunal 2 set April 7 for the first prosecution witness.
The acting chief Pabna unit Jamaat during the 1971 Liberation War, Subhan is facing nine charges of crimes against humanity. The prosecution said he was liable for individual and as well as superior responsibility in the crimes.
The prosecution said: “Subhan led and in some cases accompanied the anti-liberation forces in and around Pabna in committing atrocities from April 11, 1971. He was the secretary of Pabna unit Peace Committee that was formed in the month of May, 1971.”
The accused was indicted by the tribunal 1 on December 31 last year. But the case was transferred to tribunal 2 on March 27.
Subhan was also accused in 1972 by a special tribunal of collaborating with the Pakistani occupation forces and summoned. However, he did not face the trail as he already fled to Pakistan with former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam.
In their statement, the prosecution said: “Subhan made a list of pro-liberation people especially the leaders of Awami League in the village Bharara in Pabna and provided the list to the Pakistani Army. Later the occupation army and their cohorts abducted many people from the list and tortured them to death.”
According to a charge, Subhan on a day in May 1971 had led some 30 Pakistani occupation army men to Satbaria, Fakitpur, Kandarppur and Gupinpur of Pabna and killed at least 400 unarmed Hindus in a planned way and set fire to their houses after looting.
Most of the charges stated that the accused did all the crimes with the help of Khoda Box who executed the plans made by Subhan.
