Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee's defence witness,
claiming to have belonged to the Awami League's student wing, failed to
recall his party's slogan.
Appearing as the fifth witness for Sayedee, Khasrul Alam said he was a member of Chhatra League in his school and college days and went on to join the Liberation War in 1971.
The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 1, set up to try crimes against humanity during the nine-month War of Independence, indicted the Jamaat Executive Council member for 20 war crimes charges on Oct 3, 2011.
His alleged crimes include murder, rape, loot and arson.
Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali asked the witness how he became a member of the Chhatra League. The witness answered with some of activities saying that he took part in processions and conducted their activities as their seniors told them.
"But how did one become a member of the Chhatra League?"
The witness eventually said he had to sign a form, but the prosecutor insisted that no such forms existed.
The prosecutor then asked, "What was the Chhatra League's slogan at that time?"
Khasrul Alam answered that the student cadres were vocal about rights and facilities of the students. "But those are only demands. What was the slogan?"
Tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq reminded, "And this is not 1962 or 1971. Let's remember that."
The witness said he was only in the ninth grade in 1966 when he was just a supporter. "I became a worker later in college."
The prosecutor had to dismiss several other answers of the witness and repeat his question before the witness finally admitted that he could remember the slogan.
Haider Ali went on to suggest that the witness had fled to Saudi Arabia to escape from an arms case in Parerhat after the war. The entire court was amused when the witness replied with an animated, "Nauzubillah!"
The prosecutor had established by then that the witness was living in the oil rich kingdom of the Gulf for about 20 years between 1985 and 2004.
The prosecutor also strived to question the veracity of the witness' testimony and his credibility.
Haider Ali suggested that the witness' father-in-law, originally from Hoogly district of the Indian state of West Bengal, did not even speak Bengali and had opposed the war. The witness countered saying that this was entirely 'concocted'.
The prosecutor suggested that the witness' claim that there were no incidents of rape in 1971 in Parerhat or Shankarpasha unions was false. He also suggested that Khasrul's claim that not a single man spoke up against Sayedee was false. The witness insisted that it was true.
Senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam, who has been leading the trial for Sayedee, was seen helping the prosecutor explaining his questions to the witness and also assisting the court to record the answers.
The court also noted the defence lawyer's efforts and appreciated them, as did the prosecutor.
Cross-examination of the fifth witness was wrapped up and Sayedee's case was adjourned till the next day.
First case to trial
Sayedee's is the first case to proceed to the trial stage at the war crimes tribunals. The prosecution on Sep 4, 2011 proposed framing of charges against him on 31 counts of crimes against humanity and genocide.
The tribunal also sent Jamaat's former chief Ghulam Azam to jail on Jan 11. His indictment hearing began on Feb 15 and the court charged him on May 13.
Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and assistant secretaries general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla are also behind bars on war crimes charges. Jamaat financier Mir Quasem Ali and ATM Azharul Islam, the Acting Secretary General, were arrested more recently and are behind the bars while investigations continue.
BNP MP and standing committee member, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, also behind the bars, was indicted for 23 charges on Apr 4.
Former BNP lawmaker and minister Abdul Alim is the only one out on bail. All cases have already entered the trial phase.
Appearing as the fifth witness for Sayedee, Khasrul Alam said he was a member of Chhatra League in his school and college days and went on to join the Liberation War in 1971.
The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 1, set up to try crimes against humanity during the nine-month War of Independence, indicted the Jamaat Executive Council member for 20 war crimes charges on Oct 3, 2011.
His alleged crimes include murder, rape, loot and arson.
Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali asked the witness how he became a member of the Chhatra League. The witness answered with some of activities saying that he took part in processions and conducted their activities as their seniors told them.
"But how did one become a member of the Chhatra League?"
The witness eventually said he had to sign a form, but the prosecutor insisted that no such forms existed.
The prosecutor then asked, "What was the Chhatra League's slogan at that time?"
Khasrul Alam answered that the student cadres were vocal about rights and facilities of the students. "But those are only demands. What was the slogan?"
Tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq reminded, "And this is not 1962 or 1971. Let's remember that."
The witness said he was only in the ninth grade in 1966 when he was just a supporter. "I became a worker later in college."
The prosecutor had to dismiss several other answers of the witness and repeat his question before the witness finally admitted that he could remember the slogan.
Haider Ali went on to suggest that the witness had fled to Saudi Arabia to escape from an arms case in Parerhat after the war. The entire court was amused when the witness replied with an animated, "Nauzubillah!"
The prosecutor had established by then that the witness was living in the oil rich kingdom of the Gulf for about 20 years between 1985 and 2004.
The prosecutor also strived to question the veracity of the witness' testimony and his credibility.
Haider Ali suggested that the witness' father-in-law, originally from Hoogly district of the Indian state of West Bengal, did not even speak Bengali and had opposed the war. The witness countered saying that this was entirely 'concocted'.
The prosecutor suggested that the witness' claim that there were no incidents of rape in 1971 in Parerhat or Shankarpasha unions was false. He also suggested that Khasrul's claim that not a single man spoke up against Sayedee was false. The witness insisted that it was true.
Senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam, who has been leading the trial for Sayedee, was seen helping the prosecutor explaining his questions to the witness and also assisting the court to record the answers.
The court also noted the defence lawyer's efforts and appreciated them, as did the prosecutor.
Cross-examination of the fifth witness was wrapped up and Sayedee's case was adjourned till the next day.
First case to trial
Sayedee's is the first case to proceed to the trial stage at the war crimes tribunals. The prosecution on Sep 4, 2011 proposed framing of charges against him on 31 counts of crimes against humanity and genocide.
The tribunal also sent Jamaat's former chief Ghulam Azam to jail on Jan 11. His indictment hearing began on Feb 15 and the court charged him on May 13.
Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and assistant secretaries general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla are also behind bars on war crimes charges. Jamaat financier Mir Quasem Ali and ATM Azharul Islam, the Acting Secretary General, were arrested more recently and are behind the bars while investigations continue.
BNP MP and standing committee member, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, also behind the bars, was indicted for 23 charges on Apr 4.
Former BNP lawmaker and minister Abdul Alim is the only one out on bail. All cases have already entered the trial phase.
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