DW admits loot, arson attacks by army, Razakars in ‘71
Dhaka, Sept 19 (UNB) - A defence witness on Wednesday told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that the members of Peace Committee (collaborators) used to show the Pakistan occupation army the shops and houses of the minority Hindu community members prior to going for looting and arson attacks during the Liberation War.
During the cross-examinations, DW-3 Nurul Huq Hawlader corroborating the evidence of prosecution witnesses’ said Razakars in collaboration with Pakistan occupation army had carried out looting in shops at Parerhat Bazar once.
But they did not set fire to the looted shops owned by members of the Hindu community, he added. “I had been at Parerhat Bazar during the looting spree.”
He, however, told the three-member tribunal headed by Justice M Nizamul Huq that the perpetrators had torched the houses at Badura and Chitholia villages the following day.
According to the charges, Sayedee, a Razakar commander, who had also helped recruit Razakars, an auxiliary force of Pakistan Army, and invited army occupation by establishing makeshift camps in Pirojpur for committing crimes against humanity.
The charges include genocide, rape, arson, looting, forcibly converting Hindus to Muslims during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistani occupation forces.
Replying to a question, Nurul Huq told the tribunal that the Hindus converted into Muslim in fear of their lives as they came to know that their community members being made victims of killing.
The DW said during the Liberation War he did not cross the threshold of the makeshift army camp set up at Parerhat Rajlaxmi High School, a stone throw distance from his house.
“Both the army or Razakars did never disturb me and even go to my village home at Togra or Parerhat, the then abode.
Replying to a question, Nurul Huq informed the tribunal that he had gone through the reports published in vernacular dailies, including Jugantor and Janakantha, about the alleged 1971 misdeeds perpetrated in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation army by Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee.
Denying a volley of suggestions put forward by the prosecution lawyer dubbing his family as ‘Razakar family’ who had actively opposed the Liberation War, the defence witness said, ”It’s not true.”
“It’s also not true I’m involved in Jamaat–e-Islami and made evidence for Sayedee concealing the truth,” he said.
Asked whether his father was a member of Peace Committee (collaborator), the defence witness said, “I heard it for the first time.”
With the detained accused in the dock, prosecutor Syed Haider Ali cross-examined DW Nurul Huq.
During the cross-examinations, DW-3 Nurul Huq Hawlader corroborating the evidence of prosecution witnesses’ said Razakars in collaboration with Pakistan occupation army had carried out looting in shops at Parerhat Bazar once.
But they did not set fire to the looted shops owned by members of the Hindu community, he added. “I had been at Parerhat Bazar during the looting spree.”
He, however, told the three-member tribunal headed by Justice M Nizamul Huq that the perpetrators had torched the houses at Badura and Chitholia villages the following day.
According to the charges, Sayedee, a Razakar commander, who had also helped recruit Razakars, an auxiliary force of Pakistan Army, and invited army occupation by establishing makeshift camps in Pirojpur for committing crimes against humanity.
The charges include genocide, rape, arson, looting, forcibly converting Hindus to Muslims during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistani occupation forces.
Replying to a question, Nurul Huq told the tribunal that the Hindus converted into Muslim in fear of their lives as they came to know that their community members being made victims of killing.
The DW said during the Liberation War he did not cross the threshold of the makeshift army camp set up at Parerhat Rajlaxmi High School, a stone throw distance from his house.
“Both the army or Razakars did never disturb me and even go to my village home at Togra or Parerhat, the then abode.
Replying to a question, Nurul Huq informed the tribunal that he had gone through the reports published in vernacular dailies, including Jugantor and Janakantha, about the alleged 1971 misdeeds perpetrated in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation army by Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee.
Denying a volley of suggestions put forward by the prosecution lawyer dubbing his family as ‘Razakar family’ who had actively opposed the Liberation War, the defence witness said, ”It’s not true.”
“It’s also not true I’m involved in Jamaat–e-Islami and made evidence for Sayedee concealing the truth,” he said.
Asked whether his father was a member of Peace Committee (collaborator), the defence witness said, “I heard it for the first time.”
With the detained accused in the dock, prosecutor Syed Haider Ali cross-examined DW Nurul Huq.
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