A new prosecution witness in the trial against former Jatiya Party state minister Syed Mohammad Qaisar placed his deposition yesterday saying that the accused and members of “Qaisar Bahini” had abducted his family members and tortured them.
Golam Noor, 65, testified against the accused on charge number 11 – abduction, confinement and torture of Golam Rasul and his family members at Haripur in Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria in the last part of June in 1971.
Noor said he had heard from family members that his father died due to the torture. The witness said he had been in India at that time. He also said his brother’s body bore many torture marks.
The witness said he had joined the Bangladesh Army in November and took training in India. He later returned to Bangladesh and fought the war.
“Around 10:30am on June 23, 1971, Qaisar and his cohorts stormed into our house along with the members of the Pakistani occupation forces. They set the house on fire and tortured my father and brother,” Noor said quoting his mother, brother and sister-in-law.
“The collaborators were looking for me. As Qaisar failed to reach me, they abducted my brother Golam Rouf. He was taken away blindfolded and his hands tied from back.”
The witness said when the family members had met Qaisar and requested him to free Rouf, the accused refused to do so. Rouf was freed after six to seven days.
After his deposition, defence counsel SM Shahjahan cross examined him. Later the International Crimes Tribunal 2 adjourned the trial until May 18.
