The seventh prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Abdus Subhan yesterday said the Pakistani occupation forces had killed many people including her husband at Shahpur of Ishwardi, Pabna during the 1971 Liberation War upon order of the accused.
Jahanara Begum, wife of martyr Razab Ali Bishwas, told the International Crimes Tribunal 2 that the accused had killed her husband as he had been a pro-liberation activist and leader of Swadhinata Sangram Parishad. He was a contractor by profession.
Jahanara, 65, said she used to help the freedom fighters of the area by hiding their arms and feeding them during the war.
During the deposition, she said: “On May 2, 1971, Subhan along with the Pakistani Army personnel attacked our village and opened fire indiscriminately. I along with my husband, his friend Shamsul Haque and members of my in-laws family hid in a bamboo brush. But Subhan and his cohorts took us into their custody.
“When the army men wanted to shoot my husband following the order of Subhan, I begged to him to save my husband’s life. But Subhan threw me away and then the army shot my husband and Shamsul in front of my eyes.”
On that day, the witness said she heard that Subhan and his accomplices had killed her neighbours Rahim Sarder, Mahmud Sarder, Chand Ali Pramanik, Akter Pramanik, Anar Pramanik and Hamez Uddin Pramanik. Jahanara also said the collaborators had looted 15 houses.
She later moved to Manik Nagar with her brother and buried the body of her husband there. Shamsul was buried at Shahpur.
After the deposition, the defence counsel cross examined her and the tribunal adjourned the hearing until May 25.
