12 March 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary

The Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Gholam Azam –  Defense Closing Arguments
2. Chief Prosecutor vs. Salauddin Qader Chowdhury –  Testimony of PW 21
3. Investigation of Mubarak Hossain – Cognizance of Charges

On March 12, 2013 a junior Defense counsel for Gholam Azam sought adjournment saying that senior Defense attorney Mizanul Islam could not attend due to the personal difficulties. The Tribunal accepted the Defense prayer and adjourned the proceedings of the Gholam Azam’s case until March 13. The charged the Defense taka 1,000 for the cost of the delay.

The Tribunal took cognizance of the formal charge against Mubarak Hossain and ordered him to be detained in jail, rejecting the Defense request for an extension of bail. The Tribunal fixed 4 April 2013 for the next date of hearing.

In the Chowdhury case Prosecution witness 21, Abul Bashar, testified before the Tribunal. Thereafter, Tribunal adjourned the proceedings of the Chowdhury case until 18 March 2013.

Chief Prosecutor vs. Salauddin Qader Chowdhury
Abul Bashor (PW-21) testified that On 28 August 1971 he and other freedom fighters attacked the Razakar camp located at the Gomdondi Mass Quarter at night. He said that during the fight their commanders Fazlul and Rezaul Karim Baby were killed and Abdul Wazed was injured. At one stage they had to retreat because a Pakistani patrol train was approaching them. The following day at about 9 or 10 am they heard that Salauddin Quader Chowdhuy along with the Pakistani army had captured Wazed and spat in his face before taking him to Goods Hill by a motor vehicle. The witness said that Wazed was never heard from and that there was no trace of the corpses of the other two missing freedom fighters.

Bashor also testified that after the Liberation War heard from Razakar commander Zaker that Wazed had been interrogated about the freedom fighters and after being tortured Wazed was killed. The witness did not make it clear who killed Wazed.

Bashar testified that Razakars also held a freedom fighter called Akhlas and took him to the Goods Hill. Akhlas’s father was a member of Muslim League and went to Goods Hill after three days with other Muslim League activists to recover the corpse of Akhlas. The witness identified Salauddin Quader Chowdhury in the dock.