Another eyewitness in the trial against Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam yesterday claimed that the accused had been involved with the abduction and killing of Carmichael College teachers during the 1971 Liberation War.
Tenth witness Ratan Chandra Das, 61, corroborated with the deposition of previous witness Shobha Kar.
Ratan was a cook in the house of Sunil Baran Chakrabarty and Ram Krishna Adhikari, teachers of Carmichael College.
After his deposition, the International Crimes Tribunal 1 adjourned trial of the al-Badr leader from Rangpur until Sunday keeping the cross-examination incomplete.
The witness said he had been present at the scene when
Carmichael College teacher Kala Chand, his wife Manjushree and Sunil were abducted on 15th Baishakh, the first month of Bengali calendar. The Pakistani Army freed him as he had identified himself to be a Muslim.
“That night, some army personnel along with ATM Azhar came to Kala Chand’s house and took them away blindfolded. I identified Azhar then. Manjushree prayed to them not to take her husband. Then they took her with them as well.”
The witness said the next day he had gone to the house of Chityaranjan Roy. “His sister told me that Azhar and some Pakistani Army men took two teachers from their house in that night. Later we came to know that all of them were killed at Damdam Bridge in the town.”
Before that, the defence counsel cross examined ninth witness Shobha, sister of Chityaranjan Roy.
Meanwhile, New York-based Human Rights Watch yesterday submitted its reply to the notice issued by the same tribunal for commenting on the trial of former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam.
After the submission of the correspondence by Md Asaduzzaman Khan, a lawyer representing the HRW, the tribunal set May 12 for hearing on the answer.
The tribunal yesterday also allowed adjournment of the hearing on contempt notice against Supreme Court lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain until April 29.
The tribunal on October 6 last year issued the notice asking Mahbub as to why contempt proceedings would not be initiated against him for his comments that he passed on the verdict in Salauddin Quader Chowdhury case on October 1.
An adviser to the BNP chief, Mahbub threatened to try all the persons involved in the war crimes trials process if his party came to power.
