War crime trial against 5 starts

The first two prosecution witnesses in a war crimes case linked the five accused of Kishoreganj to the killing of at least nine people during attacks on four villages under the then sub-division on November 12 and 13 in 1971.

Mehedi-ul Alam, 60, a freedom fighter, and Adam Ali, 61, son of a victim, gave similar descriptions to International Crimes Tribunal-1.

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At the beginning the trial yesterday, Sultan Mahmud Simon read out prosecution's opening statement.

Shamsuddin Ahmed, 60, who was present at the dock yesterday, denied the seven charges pressed against the five.

The remaining Gazi Abdul Mannan, 88, the alleged commander of Karimganj Razakar camp and alleged Razakar members Nasiruddin Ahmed, 62, Hafiz Uddin, 66, and Azharul Islam, 60, are on the run.

Mehedi said the Pakistani occupation army entered Kishoreganj on April 19 and Karimganj the next day and anti-liberation Peace Committees were formed.

Karimganj Razakar Bahini was formed under the leadership of retired army man Gazi and the rest joined it, he said, adding that he and his friends had trained in India.

Mehedi said the five and 70 to 80 other Razakars killed eight persons and carried out atrocities attacking Bidyanagar, Ayla, Fatehgup and Kiraton Bilpara villages on the first day.

The victims are Abdul Barek, Malu, Chandu Sheikh, Aftabuddin, Sirajuddin, Habibullah, Abdul Majid and Jabbar. One Hashu survived after being shot, he added.

The next day, all except Gazi attacked again and Nasiruddin shot one Mia Hossain dead, said Mehedi, adding that they learnt these from sources.

Razakars targeted people of Kishoreganj's haor areas as it was a stronghold of freedom fighters who destroyed a bridge to prevent the Pakistani army from coming over.

In his statement, Adam, son of Abdul Barek, said he saw the five and other Razakars besieging Bidyanagar, where he lived, and neighbouring Ayla villages while he was coming back from Karimganj Bazar around noon on November 12.

Staying hidden, he saw Nasiruddin and Shamsuddin tying his younger brother Majibur Rahman Mangal to a tree and heard Nasiruddin telling Barek, who was pleading for Mangal's release, to bring another son who joined the Liberation War.

Nasiruddin first hit Barek with a rifle and when he tried to stand up, Nasiruddin shot him dead, said Mehedi.

Other Razakars brought Sheikh Chandu Mia, Sheikh Malu Mia, Aftab Uddin, Siraj Uddin and Hasu Miah and Nasiruddin and Shamsuddin took them behind Chandu's house, he said.

There were five to six gunshots and the duo left, said Mehedi, adding that he found the bodies and that only Hasu survived.

State-appointed defence counsel Abdus Shukur Khan completed cross-examining the witnesses before the three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque adjourned proceedings until today.