A new prosecution witness (PW) in the trial of Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam testified against him Wednesday, saying his father Momtaj Ali grabbed the legs of the accused to escape death in the hands of Pakistani occupation army and their local collaborators during the War of Liberation, reports BSS.
"As my father got caught in the hands of the Pakistani troops and their local accomplices on April 16, 1971, he grabbed the legs of Azhar and sought mercy, but the incumbent Jamaat leader violently threw him away and he was subsequently gunned down by the army," said PW-3 Mokhlesur Rahman Sarker alias Mokhles Ali.
"On hearing the news of imminent raid by Pakistani troops in our village, my mother along with my two brothers and two sisters fled our house. My father and me remained in the house to guard our belongings. As the attackers raided our house, I fled behind a bush but my father got caught," he added.
After his deposition, Advocate Shishir Munir asked him a couple of questions and the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 adjourned the hearing till tomorrow leaving it incomplete.
The ICT-1 on November 12, 2013, indicted the Jamaat leader for committing crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation.
According to the prosecution, Azhar, now 61, was commander of Rangpur district unit of Al-Badr during the War of Liberation.
‘Father grabbed Azhar\\\'s leg to escape death’
FE Team | Published: March 06, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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