The defence completed the cross-examination of Ajit Mohanta, prosecution witness-25, who testified against former Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Abul Alim, at the International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) on Tuesday. After the cross-examination was concluded, the tribunal set Wednesday as the date for hearing the deposition of the next prosecution witness.Defence counsel Advocate Ahsanul Huq Hena questioned Mohanta, who testified on Monday against Alim, during the cross-examination session.
Ajit Mohanta, who hailed from Madarganj village in Jaipurhat, claimed in the deposition that Alim played a pivotal role in the mass killing committed at Chakpara, Jaipurhat, during the Liberation War.
People belonging to the ‘peace committee’, under Alim’s guidance, carried out a vicious attack on the Hindu neighbourhood in Chakpara on April 26, 1971, he said.
“They (the anti-liberation elements) picked up Hindus and handed them over to the Pakistani occupation army, who mercilessly killed the innocent civilians,” he added.
However, the 53-year-old witness could not say for certain which post Alim had held in the peace committee in 1971.
Alim, a former minister in the cabinet of slain president Ziaur Rahman, was arrested on March 27, 2011, at Joypurhat in connection with allegations of crimes against humanity.
Later, he was granted bail after several conditions were set by the ICT.
Meanwhile, the tribunal allowed Jahiruddin Jalal, a prosecution witness, extension of time till June 30 to reply to the contempt notice for his alleged attack on defence lawyer Advocate Munshi Ahsan Kabir.
-With The Independent input
