A prosecution eyewitness against war crimes accused Matiur Rahman Nizami, ameer of Jamaat–e-Islami, on Tuesday told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that he had no idea whether any case was filed in connection with the Dhulauri massacre after Bangladesh’s independence. PW-8 Khalilur Rahman, also a freedom fighter, said this while facing cross-examinations by defence counsel Mizanul Islam.
A day before, Khalil in his testimony told the tribunal that the massacre had taken place in the early hours of November 28, 1971 on the riverbank of Ichhamati at Dhulauri in Sathia of Pabna during the Liberation War at the behest of Matiur Rahman Nizami in which 25-30 people were killed.
During the cross-examinations, Khalil said there was no electricity at village Dhulauri during the Liberation War.
Denying a defence suggestion, the PW said: “It wasn‘t true there’s no moonlight when he saw Nizami and the members of occupation army marching towards the house after opening a window of the house he had taken refuge on November 27, 1971.
PW Khalil denied another defence’s suggestion that there was no moonlight in the early hours the following day (Nov 28).
Replying to a defence question, Khalil told the tribunal that he had identified Nizami among the perpetrators on the fateful night.
Denying another defence suggestion, the PW said: “It was also not true that Nizamni was not present during the Dhulauri incident.”
Nizami , the then Al Badr commander-in- chief, faces 16 specific charges of crimes that include genocide, murder, conspiracy, planning, incitement, loot, rape, arson, persecution, destruction of property, complicity and killing of journalists, intellectuals and cultural personalities in collaboration with occupation Pakistan army and its auxiliary forces like Razakar, Al Badr and Al Shams.
-With The Independent input
