Relatives of two missing abductees corroborate charges against them

The 19th prosecution witness in a war crimes case yesterday linked five alleged Razakars from Kishoreganj's Karimganj upazila to the abduction of his brother and the 20th implicated one of them to that of his uncle during the 1971 Liberation War.

Earlier, the 18th witness, Kazi Ruhul Amin, gave a similar description before International Crimes Tribunal-1 of the abduction of Abu Bakkar Siddique and Rupali who were never found.

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Gazi Abdul Mannan was the alleged commander of Karimganj Razakar Bahini while its members were Nasiruddin Ahmed, his brother Shamsuddin Ahmed, Hafiz Uddin and Azharul Islam. Only Shamsuddin is now in jail while the rest on the run. They face seven charges.

Getting involved with the Awami League (AL) in 1970, Bakkar went to India in March 1971 to train for the Liberation War, returned in the Bangla month of Bhadra and was supposed to go there again with others, said Chandu Miah.

The 57-year-old said to have been inside a cowshed in their Nabaid village residence in Karimganj on the morning of August 25, 1971 when he heard his brother scream.

Chandu said he stayed hidden and watched the five accused along with seven to eight other Razakars take Bakkar towards a neighbouring house of one Kazi Ruhul Amin and tie him to a jackfruit tree.

After some time, some Razakars led by Mannan brought Rupali and tied him to the tree beside Bakkar before looting and burning down Ruhul's house, he said.

While the Razakars were taking the duo north, he informed his father who contacted several members of Shanti Committee, an anti-liberation organisation, including one Suroj Moulvi, for Bakkar's release, said Chandu.

Chandu said as per their recommendations, his father gave Tk 36,000 to Suroj to provide to Mannan but to no avail.

Rupali's nephew Abdul Mannan, in his testimony, said Rupali was also involved with AL and used to assist freedom fighters.

One morning in early Bhadra, he watched and followed undetected as some Razakars led by Mannan took Rupali from the latter's residence to in front of Ruhul's house and then leave taking along Bakkar, said the 56-year-old.

Defence counsels completed cross-examining the two before the two-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam adjourned proceedings until today.