Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim
2. Chief Prosecutor vs. Ashrafuzzaman Khan & Chowdhury Mueen Uddin

Tribunal 2 was in session with just two Justices presiding: Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Md Shahinur Islam. Chairman Mr. Justice Obaidul Hassan remain on leave.

In the Alim case, the Tribunal recorded the testimony of Mr Sazzad bin Alim, the son of accused Abdul Alim.  He gave testimony as DW-3. Mr Ahsanul Haque Hena conducted the examination-in-chief, which lasted for three and half hours. Mr. Rana Das Gupta formally commenced the cross-examination, but did not finish.  Cross examination is expected to continue September 3, 2013.

The case against Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mueen Uddin was adjourned for the day after the Prosecution counsel failed to present the prosecution witness who was supposed to give testimony before the Tribunal.

Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim

Examination-in-chief

DW-3 gave a detailed account of his father’s background and political profile. He stated that the accused Abdul Alim was born in India in the year 1930 and completed his undergraduate degree in Calcutta. He subsequently completed his Masters in 1951, followed by an LLB in 1953 from the prestigious Dhaka University.  During this period, the accused had taken part in the historic Language Movement of Bangladesh (East Pakistan as it was then) in the year 1952. The witness stated that his father Alim had to go to jail for his active participation in the movement. He further stated that Alim was also a member of Jaipurhat Sharbadaliya Shangram Parishad in the year 1971.

The witness said that Alim lived in Bogra until March 1971, and moved to his native home in Jaipurhat on 29th or 30th of March, following the Pakistani army’s arrival in Bogra on 27 March 1971. The accused Alim then went on to hiding on 16 or 17 April 1971, after sending his entire family to a nearby village called Aushgara. While in hiding, he took shelter various places including the house of one Musa Maolana of Hanail village. The witness claimed that the Pakistani army first entered Jaipurhat area on 24 April 1971 as opposed to 20 April 1971, as suggested by the Prosecution. He also refuted the Prosecution’s case that his father Alim had established an army camp and peace committee office by occupying the trading office of Shaonlal Bajla (referred to as Godi Ghar) in Jaipurhat. He stressed that Alim had good relationship with Shaonlal Bajla, and never occupied Shaonlal’s premises. He further stressed that his father Alim was not involved in any crimes committed during the War of Liberation in 1971 and was also not involved with Peace Committee or Rajakar forces. To justify his claim, he told the Tribunal that his father was appointed as the Director of Jaipurhat Sugar Mill in 1974 by the Awami Government under the leadership of Bangabanddhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of the nation. He was subsequently elected as the Chairman of Jaipurhat municipality in 1975 and 1977, and of Jaipurhat Sadar Upazilla in 1985 and 1990. In addition to this, Alim served as a member of President Ziaur Rahman’s cabinet in 1978. Finally, DW-3 submitted that his father had been elected to Parliament by the people in 1979, 1996 and 2001, and had also served as the President of Jaipurhat District Bar Association on two occasions.

The witness then exhibited a total of 23 pieces of documentary evidence as defense documents in support of his averments. The exhibited documents included newspaper reports of various dates, books and certificates of the accused.