After passing the order, the tribunal then moved onto the Sayedee case and heard the testimony of Md. Anwar Hossain, the tenth defense witness (
see ninth witness here).
I’m Anwar Hossain. Father- Late Abdur Rashid Shekh. Mother- Late Khadija Begum. Aged- 57 years. Address: Kodomtola, Police Station- Pirojpur. Now I’m doing business of my own. On 1971 I was a student of class 10.
I am a freedom fighter. On 25th March, 1971 the Pakistan soliders have started their attack over the innocent people of this country and then arrested Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. After hearing these matters I along with 5 or 6 people have gone to our MNA Advocate Enayet Hossain Khan. He was then busy with public meeting. At a time of the public meeting people started shouting we have not come here for hearing any speech- we want Arms. Suddenly after that- Mr. Enayet has gone to the treasury with the roused people and collected arms and bullets from there and then gone to the Government School Field. Then he took the arms in his custody. Then he has said- those who would like to take part in the freedom fight, please come on the next morning before 8 A.M. with a plate for eating, a pillow and a bed-sheet.
On 27th March, 1971 I along with 21 people has gone to the fixed place. Our names have been enlisted then. Afterwards 30 people and 2 Inspectors have been assigned for our training. Among those two Inspectors one was Mr. Borkot and another was Golam Sarwar, both of them were the Habildars of Army. At the time of training, a part of the freedom fighters have looted money from the Pirojpur Treasury, afterwards there arose a chaos among the freedom fighters about the money, then they became scattered. It was an event of 3rd May, 1971. The team becomes leaderless and I have returned to my house.
On the next day my elder aunty has told me- go to Pirojpur with your Wadud brother and bring your sister from there as there is a chance of big turmoil in this country in the coming days. The name of my sister was Anwara Begum and my brother in laws name was Abdus Sattar. He was working at the Pirojpur SD Office for 10 to 12 years. In 1970 he has been transferred to Bhola district. In the middle of 1971 he has again been transferred to Pirojpur and been assigned as a head clerk of the SD Office. Then he has started living at the Dhopabari in a rented house. I and Wadud have reached my sister’s house at 10 A.M. and after telling her to come with us, she has started arranging everything to come with us.
Approximately after 8 to 10 minutes by watching the rush and shouts of the people my brother in law has gone outside and returned after a while and started to say that the solidiers are coming from Kularhat to Pirojpur. Then he has started to close the windows and the doors and forbade us to go outside. After sometimes we have heard the sound of boots. By gazing outside from the hollow of the wooden walls we have watched that a lot of soldiers rushing towards the south over the front road. 4 Bangalis were showing them the paths by staying at the frontline. The names of the 4 were- Ashraf Chairman of Hudarhat, Delwar Shikdar of Chila, Manik Khondokar and Sattar Moktar. My brother in law knew them. After 5 to 7 minutes we have heard a huge sound from the west- south corner and again by gazing at the wooden wall we have watched the flames of fire. After sometimes we have heard huge sounds of bullets from the nearby places. After sometime the soliders have gone to the North side by the front road. The 4 Bangalies were also there at that time with those soldiers. Approximately after half an hour the situation seemed to be quiet. After seeing two or three people on the front road my brother in law has rushed towards them. He has returned after one hour and told us that- he has heard that 10 to 12 people have been killed at the Mondolpara and 4 to 5 people have been killed at the Dhopabari. And the Military has set up their Camp at the Government School of the Town. We have returned to our home with my sister and sister in law at our house at the evening.
Then we have again started taking preparation to take part in freedom fighting movement. Approximately at the end of the June I along with 21 freedom fighters have gone towards India and started staying at a Camp. Our names have been enlisted there. At the middle of the July when my formerly known Golam Sarwar who was a trainer has come there at the Camp I have seen him. He has told me come to Bangladesh with me with arms. I have brought many arms into Bangladesh from the India Government. He has again told me you are trained in Rifle. I will train you with new arms after reaching Bangladesh. He has selected 15 people from our group and took another 15 with him and entered Bangladesh. We have set up the Camp at the Binary Kumarkhali village under the Najirpur Police Station. We have taken the training by the new arms. At the end of the July we have attacked the Najirpur Razakar Camp at 10 P.M. During the fire our Commander has been shot down with a bullet in his forehead and found spot-dead. We have transferred his dead body to those who knew him. On that very night we have returned to Kodomtola.
After setting up camps at Juicekhola and Kodomtola we came to know that- a woman named Vagirothi used to go to the Pakistan Army Camp on a regular basis. Her house was at Baghmara village of our Union. After the demise of Golam Sarwar, the Chairman of Pirojpur Sadar Upajila Sardar Motiur Rahman has been assigned as our Commander. He has divided our group in three divisions and settled us on three places after his consultation with Vagirothi. He has told us that he came to knew from Vagirothi that the Pakistan Army may come to catch us anytime. We were waiting for the arrival of the Pakistan soldiers from then. On the next day when the Pakistan Armies have come at the afternoon to confine us we have responded with a huge attack. By our attack they have fled and 10 to 12 soldiers were found dead by our attack. We have found 10 rifles- 3 helmets and 2 sticks which they have left at the place.
When we have gone to the house of Vagirothi to found our her news then the Commander has informed us she has not returned. She used to return from Pirojour to her house on a regular basis. Commander Motiur Rahman has sent me and my fellow Abdul Malek in a disguise to seek for the news of Vagirothi at Pirojpur. When we were heading towards Pirojpur suddenly we have found the heavy sound of a vehicle. After watching some people standing near the Bank we have gone towards them to stand at a safe place. After 1 or 2 minutes we have watched that an injured and uncovered woman is being dragged over the road by binding from the vehicle. There were 4 Pakistan Armies and a driver on that vehicle; all of them were wearing Military dress. After watching the vehicle left the place we have returned to our camp and informed our Commander about the incident of Vagirothi what we have watched before some while.
The Pakistan Army used to go around the area of Juicekhola and Kodomtola so we have changed our location to the Bogi Camp of Sundarban. We were there at the number- 1 camp of the Taltola Khal. Then Mofihuddin Ahmed has been assigned as our Commander who was a Habildar of British period. After that we had an operation at a Razakar Camp. We have killed 4 razakars where others have fled away by getting the news of our arrival. On 7th December, 1971 our Commander has directed us to arrive at the boat with arms and bullets. We have arrived Morolgonj by boat with a lot of freedom fighters. Then on 8th December, 1971 he has directed us to go towards Pirojpur by walking. Our group have arrived the place the western bank of Bolesshor river of Pirojpur. It was around 7 or 7:30 P.M. suddenly we have heard the sound of joy of people; we have entered the town then. We have gone to the place where the soldiers have set their camp at the Government School. We have set up our camp there. Several sorts of complaints were started coming to us against the Razakars. After beating and killing the Razakars - Delwar Shikdar, Manik Khondokar and Razzak - people have brought the bodies to us by tying up their legs. Our Sub sector Commander Major Ziauddin has directed to find out the Razakars- Ashraf Chairman and Sattar Moktar. We have searched for them but didn’t find them. Then I have been assigned on the Hudarhat Camp. Approximately at the March, 1971 I have returned my arms and started my education life again. This is all about my deposition
Cross Examination was then conducted by Syed Haider Ali
Prosecutor: Whether your name has been enlisted in Muktibatra (Special Gazette containing the list of freedom fighters.)
Witness: I don’t know, but the national list contains my name.
Prosecutor: Whether your name has been enlisted on the voter list of Freedom Fighters?
Witness: Yes.
Prosecutor: How many names of freedom fighters are there in the voter list of Pirojpur?
Witness: I don’t know.
Prosecutor: For how many days you were there at India?
Witness: For 15 or 16 days.
Prosecutor: Whether the incident of Vagirothi has came in the newspapers?
Witness: Yes.
Prosecutor: Whether the names of the Camps have been enlisted on different journals and magazines?
Witness: I can’t say.
Prosecutor: Your name has not been enlisted in the latest list of the freedom fighters of Pirojpur.
Witness: Not true.
Prosecutor: The matter of your participation in freedom fighting movement is not supported by any documents.
Witness: Not true.
Prosecutor: It is all about my Cross examination.
Chairman: Okay, the next witness.
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