A new prosecution witness against accused war criminal Syed Mohammad Qaisar said yesterday that the accused and his cohorts, along with the Pakistani Army, had carried out atrocities at Lohaigram Sahapur during the Liberation War and killed eight unarmed civilians, including two women.
Phul Mia, 62, testified at the International Crimes Tribunal 2 as the ninth witness against Qaisar, the former Jatiya Party state minister who is facing 16 charges of crimes against humanity committed in Habiganj in 1971.
The witness is the incumbent secretary of Gazipur district unit Sramik League, the labour wing of the ruling Awami League. He is from Bhandarowa Jamalpur of Habiganj.
During the war, he worked as an informer for the freedom fighters in Madhabpur-Noapara areas and used to plant land mines.
In his testimony, Phul Mia said the accused, along with the members of his “Qaisar Bahini” and the Pakistani occupation forces, had gone to Lohaigram on May 15, 1971 and he had heard the sound of continuous firing.
When they left the place after an hour, the villagers informed the witness that at least eight people, including his two uncles Abdul Aziz and Zahir Uddin, had been shot to death. “When the Army killed the civilians, Qaisar was present at the scene along with his associate Lengra Hamid,” Phul Mia said.
After his daylong deposition, the defence counsel started cross examining him. The tribunal later adjourned the trial until today, keeping it incomplete.
