A prosecution witness on Sunday accused ATM Azharul Islam, a Rangpur Al Badr commander, and his two Pakistan occupation army cohorts, of killing his mother during the Liberation war on April 16, 1971.
Moqbul Hossain made the charge while testifying against detained Azharul, now a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 as PW–6.
Narrating the harrowing incident, Moqbul said that on April 16, 1971, a train carrying Azharul along with a group of Pakistan occupation forces arrived at Taksherhat crossing No.6. As Azharul and his group got down from the train, they moved towards the north, setting ablaze the houses on both side by random gunshots, he recalled.
“Seeing the perpetrators advancing towards our village, I along with my mother came out of our house in panic and ran towards Dhappara for saving our lives, but it did not materialise as my mother could not move due to old age,” said PW Moqbul.
Moqbul said that at this stage, his mother advised him to flee leaving her behind, saying she would walk on the road slowly.
“As I again began running on the aisle of the green field leaving my mother behind for quite a distance, I heard gunshots. As I instantly looked back, I saw Azhar and his two associates killing my mother with gunshots. I also heard my mother scream,” Moqbul said sobbing.
“Then I again started running towards the river Fulimari for saving my life. On the way towards my destination, I also witnessed Azhar along with his associates kill another villager.”
“After reaching my destination, I had taken shelter in a cave on the bank of Fulimari river for nearly three hours, from where I witnessed the atrocities carried out by Azharul and the Pakistan occupation forces on several villages, including Dhappara, Mirdhapara, Tontonipara and Mollahpara, killing at least 15 people and burning down numerous houses,” said Moqbul.
The PW told the tribunal that the following day, on April 17, he had heard the horrendous operation carried out by Azharul and his associates — Pakistan occupation forces — killing nearly 1200 unarmed people at Jharuarbeel and taking away by train over 200 young men as captives before leaving Jharuarbeel.
Before concluding his testimony, PW Moqbul identified accused Azharul in the dock.
The PW-6 will be cross-examined by the defence counsel on Monday.
On November 12 last year, the tribunal dismissed the discharge plea filed by the accused and framed charges against ATM Azharul Islam, a commander of 1971 Al Badr, for his involvement in crimes against humanity, including genocide, during the Liberation War.
Also a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, Azharul faces six counts of charges of crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War like killing, abduction, confinement, torture, loot, arson, rape and genocide in Rangpur district.
A week after submitting the formal charge by the prosecution, the tribunal on July 25 took cognisance of the charge against the Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general as it found a strong prima facie case against the accused under subsections 3(2) and 4(1) (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973.
According to the prosecution case, Azharul, the then Islami Chhatra Sangha (ICS) president of Rangpur district unit, had been involved in the killing of more than 1,200 unarmed innocent civilians in Rangpur during the Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation army and its auxiliary force like Al Badr.
It mentioned that Azharul Islam had played a key role in the killing of intellectuals, cultural personalities, physicians and lawyers in different areas of Rangpur during the 1971 war.
On August 22, 2012, police arrested Azharul from his Moghbazar house in the capital in connection with the war crimes case, hours after the tribunal issued a warrant for his arrest following a prosecution plea.
Source: UNBConnect
