Category Archives: Daily Summaries

8 July 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Abdul Alim PW 33 and 34

Due to scheduled vacation our researcher did not attend proceedings today. The following coverage has been gathered from media sources.

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. 1.     Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim

In the Alim case the Prosecution called two additional formal witnesses, PW-33 and PW-34, to testify regarding documents seized by the Investigation Officer and listed in the seizure list. Prosecution witness 33, Mr Anisur Rahman, is a librarian with the Investigation Agency designated to probe the facts of alleged war crimes Prosecution witness 34, Mr Nabibur Rahman, is the Commander of Akkelpur Upazila Command of the Bangladesh Muktijuddha Shanshad (a Union of Freedom Fighters of Bangladesh). He testified regarding the submission of a book titled ‘Muktijuddhe Jaipurhat’ (Jaipurhat in the war of liberation) which appears in the seizure list. Both witnesses presented the relevant documents and stated that the Investigation Officer had seized the documents from them. They did not discuss the contents of the exhibited documents. The Tribunal then scheduled 11 July for the testimony of the Investigation Officer. 

7 July 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Nizami PW 12

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Motiur Rahman Nizami

In the Nizami case, the Tribunal heard the examination-in-chief of Rathindra Nath Kundu, Prosecution witness 12. The Defense also conducted their cross-examination of the witness. The Tribunal then adjourned the proceedings of the case until tomorrow, 8 July 2013.

Prosecution witness 12
Ratindra Nath Kunda, Prosecution Witness 12, testified in support of Charges 1 and 10. Charge 1 alleges that Nizami is responsible for the arrest, detention, torture and killing of Kasim Uddin. He is charged under section 3(2)(a) read with section 4(1), providing for joint criminal liability, and section 4(2), providing for liability under the Doctrine of Command Responsibility. Charge 15 alleges that Nizami committed the crime of persecution as a Crime Against Humanity under section 3(2)(a). The Accused is charged under section 3(2)(a) with section 4(1) and section 4(2) of the ICT Act 1973. Continue reading →

4 July 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Chowdhury Cross-Examination as DW 1

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Salauddin Qader Chowdhury

Today the Prosecution completed their cross-examination of Salauddin Qader Chowdhury, Defense witness 1. Thereafter, Tribunal adjourned the proceedings of the case until 8 July 2013.

Cross-Examination
During his examination-in-chief, Chowdhury claimed that he is Chittagonian by birth. The Prosecution stated that the he born to a Bengali Muslim family on 13 March 1949 in Bohira village under Rawjan police station. The witness denied, clarifying that he born in a Muslim family in the Chittagong town under Kotoali police station, not in a Bengali family. The Prosecution alleged that Chowdhury’s mother tongue is Bangla. He denied this as well, claiming that his first language is Chatgia, the local language of Chittagong. The Prosecution asked the witness whether this language has an alphabet which he affirmed.

During his examination-in-chief Chowdhury also claimed that Chittagong has never historically been part of Bengal. The Prosecution asked the witness about Resolution-7, dated 19 July 1905, from a book titled The Partition of Bengal, which they claimed showed that Chittagong was part of Bengal even in 1905. The resolution referred to a proposal to form a new province consisting of Chittagong, Dacca (now Dhaka), Rajsahi of Bengal and Malda, Hill Tipperah, Asam and Darjeeling . The Prosecution read out from the book and asked the witness whether these statements are written in this book. The witness answered yes. The Prosecution asked the witness whether he read the Indian Independence Act of 1947 and is aware of its content, to which he replied affirmatively. The Prosecution then claimed that Chittagong was clearly part of Bengal even before the birth of Chowdhury’s father and had no distinct identity as claimed by Chowdhury. They alleged that the Defendant is intentionally denying history and providing false information before the Tribunal. The witness denied the allegation and added that there is nothing in the Act stating that distinct identity must be recognized by Act. Continue reading →

3 July 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Hartal, Mobarak Hossain

Today due to a nation-wide hartal our researchers were unable to attend proceedings. The Tribunal heard testimony from Prosecution witness 5, Ali Akbar, in the Mobarak Hossain case. The Defense Counsel then conducted the cross-examination and the Tribunal adjourned the proceedings of the case until 14 July 2013.

2 July 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Chowdhury Testimony and Cross-Examination

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Salauddin Qader Chowdhury
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs. Mobarak Hossain

Today in the Chowdhury case  the Defense concluded the examination in chief of Defense witness 1, the Defendant. The case was then adjourned until 4 July 2013.  The Tribunal had scheduled Prosecution witness 5 to testify in the case against Mobarak Hossain. However, Tribunal adjourned the proceedings of the case until tomorrow, 3 July 2013.  Continue reading →