War crimes responsibility lies with G Azam, says PW
Dhaka, July 1 UNB) - The much-awaited trial of detained former Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Ghulam Azam for ‘committing’ crimes against humanity during the Liberation War began on Sunday with prosecution witness historian Prof Muntasir Mamoon providing evidence.
A two-member tribunal, chaired by Justice M Nizamul Huq, recorded the evidence and subsequent cross-examinations by the defence counsel.
During the three-hour testimony, Prof Mamoon of Dhaka University told the tribunal that Bangladesh would have been liberated well before nine months with a bit of lower degree of annihilation if the political parties like Jamaat-e-Islami and Muslim League had not collaborated with the occupation Pakistan army.
PW-1 Mamoon, also an author of 225 books, said, “After the Pakistan army cracked down on the people on March 25 in 1971, Ghulam Azam was one of the political leaders who had attended the meeting convened by General Tikka Khan.”
In the first week of April in 1971, Ghulam Azam and others who supported the action of the central government had met General Tikka Khan at a time when Pakistan occupation army fanning out different places started carrying out killing, genocide, loot, arson and rape, recalled Mamoon.
The PW said the junta had formed Peace Committee, Razakar and Al Badr on the advice, planning and incitement of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ghulam Azam.
Referring to the role of Ghulam Azam in 1971, the PW said during the War of Liberation, the Jamaat leader had made statements and addressed at different meetings instigating his followers to collaborate with the occupation Pakisran army.
Ghulam Azam also had met political leaders of West Pakistan who already backed the Pakistan army, said Mamoon. Even after the independence of Bangladesh, Ghulam Azam had formed East Pakistan Restoration Committee abroad.
He said the Pakistan government had recognised Peace Committee, Razakar, Al Badr and Al Shams, who were mostly from Jamaat-Islami and its student outfit Islami Chhatra Sangha (ICS) as auxiliary forces by promulgating an Ordinance.
“So, Ghulam Azam cannot avoid the responsibility of the charges of crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation as he had sided with the junta that perpetrated killings, genocide, loot, rape and arson in collaboration with its auxiliary forces like Razakar, Peace Committee, Al Badr and Al Shams.”
Earlier,Ghulam Azam was produced in the dock amid tight security and stayed there for an hour and 15 minutes. He was then taken away as he was not feeling well following a tribunal order.
On conclusion of his testimony, Mizanul Islam, the defence counsel for Ghulam Azam, cross-examined him, which remained inconclusive.
Meanwhile, the defence counsel for Ghulam Azam submitted a list of 2.939 defence witnesses before the tribunal.
A two-member tribunal, chaired by Justice M Nizamul Huq, recorded the evidence and subsequent cross-examinations by the defence counsel.
During the three-hour testimony, Prof Mamoon of Dhaka University told the tribunal that Bangladesh would have been liberated well before nine months with a bit of lower degree of annihilation if the political parties like Jamaat-e-Islami and Muslim League had not collaborated with the occupation Pakistan army.
PW-1 Mamoon, also an author of 225 books, said, “After the Pakistan army cracked down on the people on March 25 in 1971, Ghulam Azam was one of the political leaders who had attended the meeting convened by General Tikka Khan.”
In the first week of April in 1971, Ghulam Azam and others who supported the action of the central government had met General Tikka Khan at a time when Pakistan occupation army fanning out different places started carrying out killing, genocide, loot, arson and rape, recalled Mamoon.
The PW said the junta had formed Peace Committee, Razakar and Al Badr on the advice, planning and incitement of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ghulam Azam.
Referring to the role of Ghulam Azam in 1971, the PW said during the War of Liberation, the Jamaat leader had made statements and addressed at different meetings instigating his followers to collaborate with the occupation Pakisran army.
Ghulam Azam also had met political leaders of West Pakistan who already backed the Pakistan army, said Mamoon. Even after the independence of Bangladesh, Ghulam Azam had formed East Pakistan Restoration Committee abroad.
He said the Pakistan government had recognised Peace Committee, Razakar, Al Badr and Al Shams, who were mostly from Jamaat-Islami and its student outfit Islami Chhatra Sangha (ICS) as auxiliary forces by promulgating an Ordinance.
“So, Ghulam Azam cannot avoid the responsibility of the charges of crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation as he had sided with the junta that perpetrated killings, genocide, loot, rape and arson in collaboration with its auxiliary forces like Razakar, Peace Committee, Al Badr and Al Shams.”
Earlier,Ghulam Azam was produced in the dock amid tight security and stayed there for an hour and 15 minutes. He was then taken away as he was not feeling well following a tribunal order.
On conclusion of his testimony, Mizanul Islam, the defence counsel for Ghulam Azam, cross-examined him, which remained inconclusive.
Meanwhile, the defence counsel for Ghulam Azam submitted a list of 2.939 defence witnesses before the tribunal.
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