A defence witness on Monday claimed that war crimes accused and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 8, 1971. The witness, Nizam Ahmed, gave the deposition during Chowdhury’s trial at the International Crimes Tribunal-1. Ahmed was the second defence witness in the case. “My friend Qaiyum Reza Chowdhury had introduced me to Chowdhury on Notre Dame College campus in Dhaka in 1967-68. Qaiyum’s cousin Salman F Rahman was also present during the introduction period,” Ahmed said.“Qaiyum, Salman and I left Dhaka for Karachi on April 7, 1971, during the liberation war. We stayed at Salman’s residence in Karachi, where I again met Chowdhury,” the witness added.
The BNP leader was charged with 23 counts of crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the liberation war at several places in Chittagong from March 26 to December 16 in 1971.Ahmed (63) said he had enrolled in Dhaka University in 1968-69. At that time, the accused used to live in Dhanmondi and they had participated in the 1969 mass movement. “I was only two feet away from Shaheed Asad when he was hit by a bullet. Me, Salman, Qaiyum and Chowdhury were together then,” he added.
-With The Independent input
