The Dhaka Times Desk The court sentenced BNP leader and member of parliament Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury to death on charges of crimes against humanity.
International Criminal Tribunal-1 headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir delivered the verdict on Tuesday. The International Criminal Tribunal-1 had been waiting for the verdict since last August 14 after hearing and presenting the arguments of both sides in the case of Saka Chowdhury. Today he gave the awaited verdict.
In the hearing of the case, the prosecution requested the maximum punishment of Saka Chowdhury. The prosecution presented evidence and arguments against 17 crimes against humanity out of 23 crimes including genocide, murder, kidnapping, torture, looting, forced migration.
9 allegations proved against Saka Chowdhury
9 of the 23 charges brought against Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, who was sentenced to death, were proved. These include allegations of genocide, murder, kidnapping and torture. However, allegations number 1 and 10, 11, 12, 14, 19, 20 and 23 were not proved. Apart from this, no assessment has been made in respect of complaints Nos. 9, 13, 15, 16, 21 and 22.
The proven charges are:
Complaint-2
At around 6:30 am on April 13, Pakistani soldiers led by Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury raided the Hindu-dominated neighborhood of Gahira village and gathered Hindus at the house of doctor Makhan Lal Sharma. Pakistani soldiers killed them with brushfire in the presence of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury.
Complaint-3
At around 9 am on April 13, Pakistani soldiers on the orders of Saladin Quader Chowdhury brushfired Nutan Chandra Singh, founder owner of Gahira Shree Ku-Shevari Pharmacy. Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury himself confirmed his death by shooting him.
Allegation-4
At around 10:30 am on April 13, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury along with Pakistani soldiers raided Hindu-dominated Jagatmalsnapara. At that time, the Hindu men and women gathered in the courtyard of Kiran Bikash Chowdhury's house on the invitation of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury's two associates. There they were fired upon in the presence of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury. 32 men and women died.
Complaint-5
On April 13, at around one o'clock, Saladin Quader Chowdhury and his followers attacked Sultanpur village of Raujan in Chittagong district. The army personnel entered Banikpara and carried out a religiously motivated raid and shot Nepal Chandra Dhar, Manindra Lal Dhar, Upendra Lal Dhar and Anil Baran Dhar. The first 3 people were martyred and the last one was injured. At the end of the massacre, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and his father Fazlul Quader Chowdhury left the village of Sultanpur with their followers and Pakistani soldiers by setting the house on fire.
Complaint-6
On April 13, at 4 pm, in the presence of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Pakistani soldiers gathered Hindu men and women in the name of a peace meeting on the bank of a pond behind the house of Kshitish Mahajan in Raujan's Unsattarpara, and killed them in brushfire.
Complaint-7
On April 14 at around 12 noon, Pakistani soldiers entered the house of Satish Chandra Palit in Raujan Municipality on the orders of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, shot him dead, wrapped his body in cloth, sprinkled gunpowder on it and set it on fire.
Complaint-8
Around 11 am on April 17, Chittagong Awami League founder Sheikh Mozaffar Ahmed and his son Sheikh Alamgir along with some members of his family were coming from Raujan in Chittagong to Chittagong city by private transport. On the way, as soon as they reached Khagrachari-Rangamati tri-road junction of Hathazari police station, Pakistani soldiers accompanied by Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury took Sheikh Mozaffar Ahmed and his son Sheikh Alamgir from the car and took them to the local Pakistani army camp. It was not possible to rescue them from there.
Complaint-17
On the evening of July 5, liberation war organizers Nizam Uddin Ahmed, Siraj and Waheed alias Jhunu Pagla were abducted from Jahangir Alam Chowdhury's house in Hazari Lane of Kotwali Police Station of Chittagong District and taken to Salauddin Quader Chowdhury's goods hill. There they were tortured for one and a half hours under the leadership of Major Ghazanfar. Later that day, Nizam Uddin and Siraj were taken to Chittagong Jail at 11 to 12 PM and imprisoned. They were imprisoned there until the country became independent.
Allegation-18
One day in the third week of July, around 5:30 a.m., the followers of Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, father of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, went to the house of Abdul Motaleb Chowdhury in Mohara village of Chandgaon police station of Chittagong district. They went there and kidnapped Salehuddin. He was then taken to the Goodshill torture cell in a Pakistan Army vehicle. Saka Chowdhury's father Fazlul Quader Chowdhury and younger brother Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury, who were sitting on an easy chair in the balcony of the house, were also present. At that time, Fazlul Quader Chowdhury wanted to know whether he was Salehuddin or not. Saying this, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury went forward and slapped him hard on the left cheek.
Not proven
Allegation-1
On April 4 or 5, 1971 after 9 pm, Motilal Chowdhury, Arun Chowdhury, Yogesh Chandra Dey, Paritosh Das gathered at the residence of Shaheed Motilal Chowdhury on Ramjan Lane in Chittagong city. From there, Sobhan, a follower of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, with the help of Pakistani soldiers, kidnapped six people and took them to Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury's residence, Goodhill. No further whereabouts of those 6 persons have been found. From which it can be assumed that they were killed there.
Complaint-10
On April 13, Pakistanis along with Saka Chowdhury came to Manik Dhar's house in Dabua village and looted his jeep and rice threshing machine. A case was filed against several people including Manik Dhar Saka Chowdhury in this regard.
Allegation-11
On the morning of April 20, on the orders of Convention Muslim League leaders Fazlul Quader Chowdhury and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, their followers and Pakistani soldiers raided the Hindu-dominated Shakpura village of Boalkhali police station in Chittagong district and killed Hindus.
Allegation-12
At 10:30 am on May 5, in the presence of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Pakistani soldiers shot and killed Vijay Krishna Chowdhury Rakhal, Bibhuti Bhushan Chowdhury, Hirendra Lal Chowdhury in Jyotimalsan village of Raujan police station.
Allegation-14
At around 4 pm on May 20, Pakistani soldiers led by Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury arrested Hanif on the bank of Kartar Dighi in Patherhat of Raujan police station in Chittagong district and took him to the Goodshill torture centre. Hanif was killed because he did not pay a ransom of 1000 taka to Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.
Allegation-19
On July 27, around 8:30 PM, Sahib Mia's house (Rajman Tendl's house) on Neemat Ali Road, Hathazari was surrounded and his two sons Noor Mohammad and Noorul Alam were abducted. He was then tied up with ropes and taken to the torture cell at Goodshill. Their other brother Mahbub Alam was found there. Salauddin Quader Chowdhury released Nur Mohammad and Nurul Alam from Goodshill torture center in exchange of Tk 10,000 ransom.
Complaint-20
On 27 or 28 July between 3 and 4 pm, the Rajakar army captured Aklach Mia. He was then taken to Goodshill and tortured. He died there.
Allegation-23
On September 2, around 6:30 to 6:30 in the evening, a close aide of Saladin Quader Chowdhury, president of the Muslim Student Council and Alshams commander of Chittagong region, Hamidul Kabir Chowdhury Khoka, Mahbub, Syed Wahidur Alam Gong lied to a Hindu employee of M Salimullah of 40 Abdus Sattar Road area of Kotwali police station in Chittagong district. And continued beatings based on fabricated allegations. Their complaint is that the Hindu employee set fire to the house of the Biharis. When M. Salimulsnah resisted this, he was taken to the torture cell at Goodshill. After the overnight torture, he was released on the request of his relatives.
Not evaluated
Complaint-9
In mid-April, Pakistani troops arrived at Boalkhali in Chittagong district. In a jeep, the accused Salauddin Quader Chowdhury came at the same time to the Razakar camp under the CO office of Boyalkhali police station of Chittagong district. While going to Kadurkhil village of Boalkhali police station, Shanti Dev of Munsirhat was arrested. He was shot dead in Banikpara, north side of police station. Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was staying in the camp nearby.
Allegation-13
On the evening of May 15, on the orders of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Ali Ahmad, a member of the peace committee, along with Pakistani soldiers attacked the houses of Awami League supporters in Ghasimajhir Par area and looted, shot dead 6 people, seriously injured 2 people and raped at least 5 women. The deceased are Nurul Alam, Abul Kalam, Jane Alam, Mia Khan, Ayesha Khatun and Saleh Zahoor.
Allegation-15
In mid-May, Pakistani soldiers arrested Sheikh Maymun Ali Chowdhury and took him to Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury's Goodshill torture centre. There, on the orders of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Fazlul Quader Chowdhury, he was physically tortured by stripping off all his clothes except his underpants and tying his hands and feet.
Allegation-16
On June 7, Omar Farooq was arrested from Jamal Khan Road and kept in the charter cell of Goodshill under the control of Fazlul Quader Chowdhury and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury. Later he was tortured and killed on the orders of Saladin Quader Chowdhury.
Allegation-21
In the first week of August, on the 5th or 7th, UP chairman Fazlul Haque Chowdhury of Binajuri village of Raujan police station of Chittagong district went to his own business establishment located on Jail road of Kotwali police station of the same district to a paper shop. From there he was abducted by members of the Pakistani army led by Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and taken to Goodshill. He was detained there for 3 to 4 days and tortured.
Complaint-22
During the HSC examination at the end of the second week of August 1971, at approximately 9 pm. Nurul Anwar Chowdhury was kidnapped. Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and his fellow Alshams forces abducted deceased Ashraf Abdul Hakim Chowdhury from his residence at 41/2 Stand Road Sadarghat, Thana Doublemooring District Chittagong and took him to Goods Hill. There he was subjected to inhuman torture. Salauddin Quader Chowdhury. Nurul collected a ransom of 6,500 taka from Anwar.
It is to be noted that a formal charge of crimes against humanity was filed on November 14, 2011 against BNP leader and member of parliament Salauddin Quader Chowdhury. On November 18 of that year, the International Criminal Tribunal-1 ordered the trial of 23 charges to be taken into consideration. The prosecution's testimony began on May 14, 2012 and ended on July 28. Statements of 41 persons for the prosecution and four persons for the accused were taken.
Case history
On November 14, 2011, a formal charge was submitted against Saka Chowdhury. The tribunal took cognizance of the formal complaint on November 18. The prosecution submitted 1,275 pages of supporting documents and 18 CDs to the tribunal along with a 55-page formal complaint. The state party raised 25 charges of crimes against humanity against him. The Tribunal framed 23 charges. Among these allegations are more than six massacres including the killing of more than three hundred people, cooperation in the rape of five people, looting, torture, etc. Saka Chowdhury was charged under Sections 3(2)(a), 3(2)(c), 3(2)(g) and 3(2)(h) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973.
On April 4, 2012, Saka's trial began with the filing of a complaint. The prosecution made opening statements on May 3 and May 7 last year. Testimony begins on May 14. This year, the testimony continued till June 13. 41 witnesses testified against him. Apart from this, the tribunal accepted the statement given by the four witnesses to the investigating officer. Saka himself and three other witnesses testified for him. From June 27 to July 28, the tribunal took the testimony of the witnesses.
Argument hearing of this case started on July 28 this year. Four working days till July 31 for the state side to present arguments. His lawyer Advocate Ahsanul Haque Hena and Barrister Fakhrul Islam presented arguments on behalf of Saka from last August 1 till yesterday. After that, prosecutor barrister Turin Afroz, Zeyad Al Malum and Sultan Mahmud gave a speech refuting the arguments of the accused side on legal issues.
who testified
Saka Chowdhury who testified in the case of Dr. Anisuzzaman, Chittagong businessman Salimullah, Freedom fighter Sirajul Islam Siru Bangali, Martyr Nutan Chandra Singh's son Prafulla Ranjan Singh and nephew Gaurang Singh, Martyr Jaya Basanti Ghosh, Martyr's son Paritosh Kumar Palit, Freedom fighter advocate Nirmal Chandra Sharma, Abbas Uddin Ahmed (Abbas Chairman), Shahjalal Science Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Technology. Saleh Uddin, businessman Parag Dhar (camera trial), former student leader freedom fighter Kazi Nurul Afsar, freedom fighter Syed Mohammad Mahbubul Alam, Arunanshu Bimal Chowdhury and his nephew Ashish Chowdhury, principal Gopal Chandra Das, journalist Nizamuddin Ahmad, Faiz Ahmed Siddiqui, a victim woman ( Camera trial), Debbrat Sarkar, freedom fighter and musician Syed Wahidul Alam Junu, Sheikh Morshed Anwar, freedom fighter Abul Bashar, Anil Baran Dhar, freedom fighter Bangopal Das, Babul Chakraborty Bulbul, freedom fighter Abu Taher Chowdhury, Md. Solomon, Dr. AKM Shafiullah, Subal Chand Sharma, Md. Nazim Uddin, Sujit Mahajan, Mahmud Ali, Vijay Krishna Chowdhury, Kamal Uddin and Chapla Rani. Apart from the testimony of these victims and freedom fighters, the testimony of four witnesses was also taken regarding the seized documents. They are assistant librarian of Bangla Academy Ejab Uddin Mia, ASI Md Raujan police station of Chittagong. Ershadul Haque, SI Molsna Abdul Hai and Book Shorter Kawsar Sheikh of Chittagong Divisional Public Library. Apart from this, the tribunal accepted the statements given by Jyotsna Pal Chowdhury, Janati Bala Chowdhury, Abul Bashar and Badal Biswas to the investigating officer. The first three of them have already died. The state told the tribunal that the other is in India.
Saka Chowdhury himself testified. Apart from this, his college friend Nizam Ahmed, Asia-Pacific University Board of Trustee member Qayyum Reza Chowdhury and former ambassador Abdul Momen Chowdhury testified on his behalf.
The influential leader of BNP is Saka Chowdhury
Saka Chowdhury is known as an influential leader of BNP even though he has been discussed and criticized inside and outside the party for various comments. He is one of the policy makers of BNP. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia gave him great importance due to various reasons. Others of the main opposition party under trial and investigation: Apart from Saka Chowdhury, former BNP leader Ziaur Rahman's minister Abdul Alim is on trial for crimes against humanity in the 1970s. The case against him is pending for judgment. Apart from this, the trial of Zahid Hossain alias Khokon Razakar, Mayor of Nagarkanda Municipality of Faridpur and BNP leader is also going on in the tribunal. It is said that the investigation agency of the tribunal is investigating the allegations of crimes against humanity against Giyas Uddin Quader Chowdhury (Gika Chowdhury), brother of Saka Chowdhury.
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