Shakhawat broke my leg to extract info about FF camp

A prosecution witness yesterday testified that former Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP lawmaker Shakhawat Hossain and his accomplices confined and tortured him at a Razakar camp in Jessore during the Liberation War in 1971.

Miran Sheikh, of Mahadebpur village in Keshabpur upazila and the sixth prosecution witness in the case, told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that Shakhawat himself broke his leg as he did not provide him information about freedom fighters' camp.

The five other accused are Aziz Sardar, Aziz Sardar (2), Abdul Khaleq, Lutfar Morol and Ibrahim Hossain. Miran did not mention the names of Kazi Ohidul Islam, Mujibur Rahman and Billal Hossain, also accused in the case.

The nine face five charges. Of them, Shakhawat, Billal and Lutfar are now in jail and have pleaded not guilty. The rest are on the run.

The 66-year-old witness Miran said he joined the Mukti Bahini under the leadership Mofazzal Hossain Master in 1971 and used to gather and supply information about Razakars to the freedom fighters.

At the beginning of Bangla month of Ashwin, he came to his house and after getting this information, 30 to 40 Razakars of Chingra Razakar camp besieged his village and torched the houses of freedom fighters, pro-liberation people and Awami League men, said Miran. "When I stepped out of my home, I saw neighbouring houses were burning," he added.

When 10 to 12 Razakars besieged his home, Miran quickly fled. But accused Aziz, Aziz (2), Khaleq, Lutfar and Ibrahim chased him, said Miran, adding that after running for about 200 yards, he stopped and raised both hands in fear of his life.

Accused Khaleq shot him with a rifle which hit the fingers of his left hand. They took him to Chingra Razakar camp where Aziz, Aziz (2), Ibrahim and Lutfar beat him with rifle butts following the instruction of Shakhawat. He fainted, the witness said.

Around 10:00pm that day, Shakhawat wanted to know the location of the freedom fighters' camp from him. He declined to give information. Shakhawat then twisted his left leg until it broke. Out of pain, Miran fainted again.

He regained sense the following day, and found himself on the bank of Kopotakkho River, said Miran, adding that the locals took him to Taki Hospital in India where a physician cut off the two affected fingers of his left hand. Miran yesterday showed his left hand at the tribunal.

Miran said, after the Liberation War, when he returned to Bangladesh; he found his house destroyed by Razakars.

The case proceeding was adjourned until today after the defence completed his cross-examination.

CRIMES IN MOULVIBAZAR

Meanwhile, the tribunal yesterday sent two war crimes accused from Moulvibazar to jail after police had produced them before it around 10:30am.

It also fixed May 2 for passing the next order in the case.

The accused are Abdul Aziz alias Habul, 63, of Pakhiala village under Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar, and Abdul Mannan, 64, of Taradaram village of the same upazila.

Police arrested the two in the district on Tuesday, hours after the tribunal issued arrest warrants for three persons, who were allegedly involved in crimes committed during the Liberation War in 1971.

Another accused was on the run, Prosecutor Sabina Yasmin Munni told The Daily Star.

The accused were involved with Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force of the Pakistan army, according to Shahjahan Kabir, the investigation officer of the case.