Tag Archives: Abdul Alim

16 June 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Mueen Uddin and Khan Charges, Alim Cross Examination of PW 24

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1.  Chief Prosecutor vs. Chowdhury Mueen Uuddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim

The Prosecution read out the charges against Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan, and the Tribunal fixed June 24, 2013, as the date for delivering the Charge Framing Order.  In the Alim case, Defense counsel Ahsanul Huq Hena concluded the cross examination of Prosecution witness 24. The Prosecution will call its 25th witness on June 17, 2013. Continue reading →

13 June 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Alim PW 24

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim

In the Alim case the Prosecution called Prosecution witness 24, Bhagirath Chandra Barman, to testify. After the completion of the examination-in-chief the Tribunal scheduled his cross-examiantion for 16 June 2013. Barman testified as an eye-witness.

Examination-in-Chief
He is a relative of multiple victims. He provided his personal his details. He then stated that Alim was the chairman of Jaipurhat Peace Committee, which he claimed was an auxiliary force to the Pakistani Army. He stated that Alim was assisted by the Pakistani Army and the local Peace Committee members in committing the killings.

The witness stated that on a Monday, approximately in the second week of the Bengali month of Boishakh,1971, the Pakistani Armi entered the village of Kadipur accompanied by local Peace Committee members. Upon seeing them arrive the witness claimed he ran towards his home and then attempted to escape towards the north along with his family members. However, before they could manage to escape, members of the Peace Committee and the Pakistani Army surrounded them.  The witness stated that around 50 to 55 people of the local community were gathered near the bank of a pond located to the east of the witness’s house. The pond is locally known as “Dom Pukur.” The witness stated that the Peace Committee members then segregated the men from the women and took them to the slant of the pond. Continue reading →

2 July 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Alim PW 30 and 31

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim

The prosecution in Alim’s case called Md Mobarak Hossain, the Chief Librarian of Bangla Academcy, and Md Azabuddin Miah, the Assistant Librarian, to give testimony as Prosecution witnesses 30 and 31 respectively. The testimony of both witnesses was formal and brief and used to verify documents submitted into evidence by the Prosecution. The Defense conducted a very brief cross-examination of the witnesses as well. The Tribunal scheduled the hearing of Prosecution witness 32 for 3 July 2013.

Prosecution witness 30: Chief Librarian of Bangla Academy
The Prosecution asked the Md Mobarak Hossain about the documentary evidence he provided to the Investigation Officer. The witness stated that Mr Altafur Rahman, the Investigation Officer for the case, visited the ‘Journal Section’ of Bangla Academy to collect various reports of daily newspaper issues from the 1971-1972 periods. He seized newspapers including the Daily Ittefaq, Daily Sangram, Doinik Bangla, Daily Pakistan, Doinik Purbadesh, and the Daily Azad. The witness stated that the Investigation Officer collected made photocopies of the original, leaving the original with the Bangla Academy.

Cross-examination
On cross-examination the Defense asked the witness who is in charge of the Journal Section of Bangla Academy. In reply, the witness stated that there is no separate officer for the journal section and that the entire library including the journal section is under the supervision of the Chief Librarian. The Defense then drew the witness’ attention  to the exhibited seizure list submitted by the Prosecution. They noted that the  the list does not bear the witness’ name or signature. The witness stated that the materials had been seized from Bangla Academy and not from his personal custody and therefore his name required to appear on the seizure list.  The Defense then questioned the authenticity of the collected reports. The witness finally stated that he has no personal knowledge about the contents of the documents exhibited.

Prosecution witness 31: Assistant Librarian of Bangla Academy
Md Azabuddin Miah testified that he is a subordinate officer under Prosecution witness 30, working as the Assistant Librarian at the Bangla Academy. He testified that he was present when Prosecution witness 30 gave the exhibited newspapers to the Investigation Officer and affirmed the statements of Md Mobarak Hossain. No new statement was made. The Defense declined to cross-examine the witness.

12 June 2013: ICT- 2 Daily Summary – Abdul Alim PW 23

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

 Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim

The Defense conducted the cross-examination of Prosecution witness 23. The Prosecution conducted the examination-in-chief on 9 June 2013.

Cross Examination of PW 23
Mr Mohammmad Abdul Hye, the brother of victim Fazlu, testified as Prosecution witness 23, providing circumstantial evidence. The Defense asked the witness various questions about his family, education and background. The witness stated that his date of birth is listed on his Secondary School Certificate as 6 October 1950 and that he regularly reads newspapers. He stated that two of his other brothers are living: Abdur Razzak Mondon and Aini Iliyas. He stated that Aini Iliyas is a journalist who used to work for the English daily newspaper, the Bangladesh Observer. He stated that his mother died two years ago.

 The Defense asked the witness about the formation and conduct of the Central Peace Committee. He stated that he does not remember when Central Peace Committee was formed but that it was probably in the beginning of April of 1971. In 1971, he stated that the Convention Muslim League, Council Muslim League, Karijum Muslim League were the existing religious political parties. He did not remember precisely who the head of Convention Muslim League was, but stated that it was probably Fazlul Qadir Chowdhury. He said that Khwaza Khoyer Uddin was part of the Muslim League but he did not remember which specific group he belonged to.  Continue reading →

22 May 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Mujahid Closing Arguments, Alim PW 21, Pre-trial issues and contempt

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Contempt Proceedings Against Selim Uddin
  2. Syed Md Qaisar: Bail Application
  3. Chief Prosecutor vs. Md Ashruzzaman Khan and  Moinuddin
  4. Chief Prosecutor vs. Ali Ahsan Mohammed Mujahid – Defense Closing Arguments
  5. Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim – Cross-Examination of PW 21

The Tribunal deferred the contempt proceedings against Selim Uddin until 28 May 2013 for further order. It then moved on to hear the bail application filed on behalf of Syed Md Qaisar who is currently under investigation for war crimes and related offences that may have been committed during the 1971 War of Liberation. Mr Qaisar, a former BNP leader and a subsequent policy maker of President HM Ershad’s cabinet was arrested on a warrant issued by Tribunal-2 on 15 May 2013. Upon hearing the bail application, the court took a brief recess of twenty minutes before finally rejecting the application. Mr Qaisar was then sent to jail.

The Prosecution team in the cases against Md Ashrafuzaman Khan alias Nayeb Ali and Moinuddin notified the Tribunal that they had followed its order and published a notification in two widely circulated national dailies asking the two defendants to appear before the Tribunal. The notice was published on 14 May 2013 in the Daily Janakantha and on 15 May in the Daily Star. The notification announced that failure to appear within 10 days of such publication would result in the court ordering trials-in-absentia, as was done in the case of Abul Kalam Azad. The Tribunal stated that they would hear the case next on  27 May 2013.

In the case of Mujahid the Defense began their Closing Arguments. They began with arguments regarding the evidentiary aspects of the case and stated that senior Defense counsel Abdur Razzak will be later address the relevant legal arguments.

Finally, the Defense counsel for Abdul Alim conducted the cross-examination of Prosecution witness 21. They primarily attacked the credibility of the witness and accused him of providing false testimony. The Defense further suggested that the witness provide the same testimony to the Investigation Officer during his original interview.  Continue reading →