Sayedee\\\'s defence witness dies

A freedom fighter, who was a defence witness to Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee, died at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University (BSMMU) hospital in the city on Saturday morning. Shamsul Alam Talukdar, 74, was suffering from old age-related ailments including diabetes, relatives said. Talukdar was convener of Kazi Zafar Ahmed-led Jatiya Party's Bagerhat district unit. He was also founding general secretary of BNP's Bagerhat district chapter. He was admitted to BSMMU hospital three days ago, said Sardar Abu Bakkar, a party activist. Talukdar's relatives headed for Bagerhat with his body in the morning. He will be buried next to a mosque adjacent to Shoronkhola Degree College. Talukdar was second-in-command at Sundarbans Sub Sector during the Liberation War in 1971. His testifying for Sayedee on September 2, 2012, at International Crimes Tribunal caused a furore in Bagerhat. Talukder said he had turned up to testify for Sayedee at the request of the Jamaat leader's 3rd son Masud Bin Sayedee, according to bdnews24.com.