11 Sept 2012: Azam 3rd witness cross exam day 1

After Sultana Kamal finished giving her evidence in the Azam case, the cross examination by Mizanul Islam then started

Defence: Can you tell me the name of the IO who has gone to talk with you?

Witness: Her name is Monowara Begum. She has gone to my Office several times. On 11th July, 2012 (afterwards the witness said it 2011) she has gone to my office for the last time and I have conclusively given my statements to her. [After saying the year 2012 she has altered it saying it 2011. And then the defence raised objection that the Prosecution has made noise and suggested it to witness. Prosecution denied that and the Chairman said it to write it in bracket that the witness said it 2011 afterwards.]

Defence: How many days has it taken to complete your statement?

Witness: Several days.

Defence: Where did you give the statement?

Witness: At my office.

Defence: Have you gone to the Investigation Office for several times?

Witness: No I can’t remember if I have gone there.

Defence: Have you submitted the Razakar Ordinance to the Investigation Agency?

Witness: When the Investigation Agency and the Prosecution was at the same Tribunal building then I have come to the Tribunal building and submitted the Razakar Ordinance to the Investigation Agency.

Defence: What was the date and year?

Witness: I can’t recall the date, but the year was 2010.

Defence: When was the office of the Investigation Agency has been transferred to its recent place?

Witness: I don’t know.

Defence: You are not a complainant of this case?

Witness: No I am not.

Defence: Who was the complainant of the complainant registrar serial no- 05 Date- 1-8-2010 of the Investigation Agency?

Witness: I don’t know.

Defence: Gholam Azam is a known person in Bangladesh and he is now in the dock.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: What is the date of the formation of Razakar team?

Witness: I can’t recall the date exactly but might be at the end of May, 1971 at Khulna the Razakar team has been formed by the leadership of a man named Yousuf.

Defence: Which Newspapers were served to your house at 1971?

Witness: Daily Purbodesh, Azam Morning News, The People.

Defence: If the Daily Purbodesh has circulated any news about the formation Razakar Bahini at Khulna by Yousuf?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Do you have the copy of the Newspaper in your collection or have you submitted it to the Investigation Agency?

Witness: No.

Defence: Did the news contain the name of Mr. Yousuf?

Witness: As far as I can remember the name was there.

Defence: If any other Newspaper has circulated any news after the liberation of Bangladesh till 1980 about the formation of Razakar Bahini by Mr.Yousuf?

Witness: I can’t remember because I was busy with other activities. But might be weekly Bichitra has published an article at the end of 80’s decade.

Defence: At that time the executive editor of the weekly Bichitra was Shahriar Kabir who is the present coordinator of Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Mr. Mostari Shafi was the former coordinator of Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee before Shahriar Kabir.

Witness: He was closely involved, but I don’t know if he was the Coordinator.

Defence: The Ansar Bahini has been extinct and transformed into Razakar Bahini by the Gazette Notification on 2nd August, 1971 and the activities of Razakar Bahini have been started.

Witness: I am aware about the Gazette which was circulated on August.

Defence: The Razakar Bahini was being directed by the directorate of the Government where there was a director.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: DIG of Police Mr. Rahim was the first directorate of the Razakar Bahini.

Witness: I don’t know, I was not in country on that time.

Defence: If there was any secretary named Abdur Rahim in the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Government?

Witness: I don’t know.

Defence: If the Razakars were being appointed by the local SDO?

Witness: Yes, because when any organization starts running it has to oblige the rules and regulations of the Government.

Defence: Razakar Bahini’s training was being given by the Police of local Police Station.

Witness: Yes, because the controlling power was conferred on the Government.

Defence: Before being a codified team on 2nd August, 1971 if the Razakar team was an armed group?

Witness: When the teams like these were active they were involved with several activities like passing the information, directing the ways, threatening people in case they were not carrying arms.

Defence: Till 1971 you were at which place?

Witness: At the Dhanmondi of Dhaka which was under the Lalbag Police Station.

Defence: Who was the Razakar Adjutant when you have returned after liberation?

Witness: I don’t know.

Defence: Did you attend the classes of the University of Dhaka between 25th March, 1971 to 3rd June, 1971?

Witness: No.

Defence: If the Razakars, Al-Badar, AL-Shams have come to your house?

Witness: No. But we have heard that- at the end of the liberation war the Al Badar has planned to attack my mother.

Defence: Your mother was maintaining two diaries- one was intended for writing daily activities and other was intended for writing poems.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Her daily diary has been published as a book afterwards.

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Her Diary on 1971 does not contain anything about the plan of attack over her.

Witness: At the end of the diary somewhere it has been contained.

Defence: If she has ever mentioned the names of the people of Al Badar who have planned to attack her?

Witness: There was no scope to know the name, and she has not mentioned it anywhere.

Defence: Have you ever faced any Razakar or Al Badar to the time you left Dhaka on 16th June, 1971?

Witness: No, because they were the secret killer force. They have not disclosed their identity and when they have gone to kill they have covered their face with cloth.

Chairman: Okay the Tribunal is adjourned till 2 P.M.

In relation to the Sayedee case, the chairman again told the defence that it had not provided the names of the defence witness after saying you again and again.

Defence: We will provide it tomorrow. It is the matter of security of the witness. When the first defence witness has gone to his area after the deposition some people have burnt his image. We have to think aout the protection.

Chairman: You could ask for that to us.

Defence: While we are observing the torture of Police on several places how we could rely that you will confer the duty of security of the witnesses to this force.

Chairman: Have we said it anywhere who will observe the duty.

Defence: No my Lord.

After a lunch adjournment the tribunal resumed with the cross examination

Defence: In 1971, during that time was it is possible to identify any Al-badar’s name and face.

Witness: No, it was not possible to identify any Al badr’s name and face.

Defence: When you were living at Dhanmondhi how many Razakars were there?

Witness: I have been living in Dhanmondi up-to 16th March in 1971 during that time Razakar force was being constituted. But I have never heard and seen any Razakar.

Defence: Where did you live after returning from abroad?

Witness: Our Dhanmondi house.

Defence: Now are you living there?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Your mother Sufia Kamal went to India, isn’t that so?

Witness: No.

Defence: Did you read the name of any member of Al-badar, Al-shams from any Bangladeshi news paper?

Witness: I could not remember in my mind.

Defence: At first when you have heard the name of Al-shams head?

Witness: I can not remember.

Defence: Did you see any name of Al-shams member’s in the news paper?

Witness: No, but I saw Al-badar’s name in the news paper.

Defence: At first which name you have heard from Al-badar?

Witness: I have heard the name of Matiur Rahman Nizami from the very beginning of 1980.

Defence: Would you please say the name of that newspaper?

Witness: I have seen it in different newspaper.

Defence: Does Matiur Rahman Nizami have another identity?

Witness: He was engaged in Jamaat-e-Islam.

Defence: During that time what was his political position?

Witness: He was senior Jamat-e-Islami politician.

Defence: Was Matiur Rahman Nizami a familiar person during liberation war in 1971?

Witness: He was not familiar to me.

Defence: Have you been involved in student politics?

Witness: I was not engaged in any politics directly.

Defence: Have you joined in the Six Point and Eleven Point Movement?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Who were the organizers of the Eleven Point Movement?

Witness: It was made by many political parties. Leftist, Awami League were two of them.

Defence: During greater Pakistan there were three political parties which were Nationalist Party, Socialist Party and Religious Party (religion based party). Jamat-e-Islami has done a lot to protect greater Pakistan from separation during liberation period?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Khaza Khairuddin was the head of peace committee. What was followed by them?

Witness: The function of peace committee was region based and in favor of greater Pakistan. They said that only real Muslim were in favor of greater Pakistan. They also said that a good Muslim never become a supporter of freedom fighters. Basically Peace Committee has done the work in favor of the Pakistani govt.

Defence: The first of which month was selected for the first meeting of Peace Committee?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: After April months there was any central meeting of the Peace Committee?

Witness: I could not remember.

Defence: Who were the majority members of the Central Peace Committee?

Witness: I could not tell you at this moment but PDP, Muslim League, Jamat-e-Islami were most highlighted.

Defence: How many wings of the committee of Central Peace Committee were there?

Witness: I did not know but I know about a peace committee which was formed by religion based party.

Defence: Have you heard any name of Peace Committee except that of Khaza Khoyruddin?

Witness: I didn’t know but have heard the name of Maulavi Farid Ahmed as one member of the Peace Committee.

Defence: Did you know any political identity of Mr Maulavi Farid Ahmed?

Witness: He was engaged in PDP (PDP).

Defence: Did he live at Dhanmondi?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: Maulavi Farid Ahmed had a central office. Any wing of Central Peace Committee was at Dhamondi?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: Did you know any member of Peace Committee at Dhanmondi wing?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: Where was the office of Khaza Khoyeruddin?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: Have you any idea about the procedure of implementation of decision of peace committee?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: Did you know about any district head of Peace Committee?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: In Union perspective the chairman of that Union was the head of Peace Committee.

Witness: But it was very small in number.

Defence: How many operations of Pakistan army had been done with the involvement of Peace Committee?

Witness: Actually it was difficult to count about the operation. But it was definitely more than one operation.

Defence: Have you given the information before Investigation Officer (IO) related to this?

Witness: Yes.

Defence: Was this document your personal or paper collection?

Witness: Some are personal collection, some are collected from the research paper of AIN O SALISH KENDRO and rest are paper cutting.

Defence: Do you tell him the name of those members of Peace Committee who participated in the operation of Pakistan Army in 1971?

Witness: Local senior leader of Peace Committee participated

Defence: Had the Pakistan Govt. given any order to provide arms for the Peace Committee?

Witness: I did not know.

Defence: Was Peace Committee a civil organization?

Witness: Yes.