In the afternoon, after the Sayedee cross examination, the exmination in chief of Praphulla Chandra Sinha, the fifth witness in the trial of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, took place conducted by the prosecutor Zead Al Malum. (This carries on from the cross examination of the 4th witness)
Prosecutor: What is your name?
Witness: My name is Praphulla Chandra Sinha.
Prosecutor: How old you are?
Witness: I am 72 years old.
Prosecutor: How many sisters and brothers of you have?
Witness: We are three brothers and 1 sister.
Prosecutor: When was your father killed?
Witness: On 13th 1971.
Prosecutor: Please tell something about yours father?
Witness: My father was in Burma. During the Second World War he came to the Chittagong. From 1942 he was living in Chittagong then he set up a factory of medicine and soap in 1947, after the separation of India and Pakistan passport system has been introduced in 1952 then he started to live Chittagong permanently. Then he established Kundeswary Girls School and Kundeswary Girls College. Besides these he donated to many Mosques, temple, college, school etc.
Prosecutor: Do you know anything about the general election of 1970?
Witness: After the 6 point movement of Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibar Rahman excitement among the people of East Pakistan was raised. Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibar came to our house and met with my father because in every election people who were in minority group were never allowed to go to the voting centre.
Fazlul Quder Chowdhury was elected as leader and he said to the minority people that ‘I know you will vote for me so it is unnecessary for you to come to the vote centre’ and those people who went to the voting centre could be tortured by them. Thus in this the way minority people were tortured. At that time goons of Muslim league committed looting, arson. That was the reason Sheikh Majibar Rahman came to our house to condole to the minority people. When Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibar Rahman came to our house he said to my father that ‘uncle I am going to do a big task, pray for me.’ My father replied ‘people who are to the path of true and justice always get the favour of God’.
During 1970’s election Fazlul Qudaer Chowdhury came to our house the night before that election and said to my father that ‘uncle may be I am going to be defeated to this young boy’ then my father replied that ‘it is not a problem at all, you may lose the election but your land-property will never lost.’ Then again Fazlul Quder Chowdhury said ‘Natun babu actually you are a man of simple character that is the reason you cannot understand my problem’ then Fazlul Quader Chowdhury left of house but he again came to our house at 11pm on that day and said the same thing. And then he again came to our house at 12pm and that time my father said ‘Mr. Chowdhury are you going mad?’ That was the last conversation between my father and him.
In that election Fazlul Quder Chowdhury was defeated by the professor M.A khalek and Dr. Alam was defeated near to the Abdullah-al-harun.
After that time, in Rawjaan, arson, killing, looting and many others crimes started.
Then Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibur Rahman sought a non-cooperation movement and on 25th march Sheikh Majibur Rahman declared independence and we heard it on 26th March. We heard that excitement was raised on that night because of the killing of Bengali people in Razaarbagh Police line and Chittagong Cantonment area. Many Bengali Army officers took shelter at the Chittagong University.
Then ‘Chittagong Student Association’ was formed under the leadership of Dr. Mallik and Dr. Anissuzaman. After two days later, on 29th March information has been sent to our house that Dr. Anisuzzaman and others want to take shelter at our Kundeswary School as the University was not safe for them. Then most probably 27 families and 47 and 50 persons took shelter at our house.
Abdullah-al-harun Chowdhry, Abu Jafar, M.A Hannan used to come at Kundeswary to decide how to continue the fight.
In the mean time, it might be on the 29th or 30th March, M.R Siddque, Zahurul Amen Chowdhury, Ataur Rahman, Abdullah-al-Harun came to our house because they went to leave our school and decided to go in India. Since the situation of the Chittagong city was very exciting then. That time my brother Chitto Ranjon came to our house along with his friend Kallan Bashu from Calcutta who was the journalist of Jugantar newspaper.
My brother and journalist Kallan Bashu had a good relation with the chief minister Sachin Singh of Agortola.
After knowing this M.R Siddiq, Zahurul Amen Chowdhury, Ataur Rahman Kawser, Abdullah al harun decided that they will go Agartola and inform him about the situation and seek assistance from him. Then they went to India. And teachers of the Chittagong University had been staying at our house till 9th June and when our house was not also safe for them they left our house and went to India. Then we helped the teachers of Chittagong University to go in India.
On 11th April Abdullah Al Harun came to our house and said to me that ‘you also leave the house otherwise you will also be killed’.
After that me, my wife and sons, my elder brother, his wife and sons, my sisters and his children left the house and started our journey by a Jeep for India. That time condition of road was very exhausting and it tookwhole night to reach at India through Ramghar. Then after keeping my family at Sub room, I came to Ramghar and issue border pass of Bangladesh Government. At that time some refugee said to me that ‘do you know what has happened to your house?’ some said that my father was killed, some said he was arrested. Then on 4pm a person named Jatish Dhar said to me that ‘your father was killed’. Then from our chairman I have heard the description of the incident. Then I have heard the full incident from Brajahari Karmakar and Gopal Das, Gorang Das. When Pakistan Army had come to our house Gowrang, Himangshu, Monoranjon Singh, Brajahari Karmoker try to save my father but he did not go out with them. Then among them 3 persons went towards the jangal and others went towards the pond side.
Brajahori said that he had seen that they want money and gold from my father and my father gave them money and gold. After that they went away and returned within 15 or 20 minutes. Then they (Pakistan army) stretched out my farther from the temple and in front of the temple he was fired upon. In the mean time Sallah Uddin Quder Chowdhury also fired upon my father by his pistol and his dead was left in front of the temple.
Then my elder brother Sotto Ranjan singh filed a case on 4. 01. 72.
Prosecutor: What is present condition of the case?
Witness: When charge sheet has been given to this case then Fazlul Quder Chowdhury was in jail. Then this case has been transferred to the Dhaka, later what was happened I do not know.
Prosecutor: When did I.O go to your house?
Witness: Investigation officer came to our house in 2011 and 2012 and he seized many documents and papers. I have also signed there.
Prosecutor: How many papers have been collected by the investigation officer?
Witness: He has seized 19 papers cutting and one book. Name of the book is ‘Smriti Dip’ of Natun Chandra Singh. This is the seizure where I have signed. I.O has sized these documents as seizure list documents and gives a copy of this document to me and I have signed upon documents and these are exhibited as exhibited no. 1 and my signature is exhibited on 1/1, 1/2, 1/3. (with defence objection).
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