After concluding self-defence, war crimes accused BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury on Monday produced another defence witness (DW-2) for his plea of alibi to the effect that the accused was elsewhere, not at the scene of a crime allegedly committed. Nizam Ahmed, son of late Badrunnesa Ahmed who was State Minister for Education during the post-independence government of Awami League, appeared before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 to depose as DW-2.
Nizam said that on April 7-8 in 1971, he along with his friends Qayum Reza Chowdhury (DW) and his cousin Salman Fazlur Rahman (DW) left Dhaka for Karachi, Pakistan on the same flight and stayed at the house of Salman.
“After a couple of days, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, also a close friend, came to see us at the house,” he said, adding that at that time Qayum was not at home.
Nizam said he along with Qayum had also gone to Islamabad where Qayum was arrested from his sister’s house. “After a fortnight, I returned to Dhaka and left for India in early June 1971.”
“Then, in April-May 1974, I met Salauddin Quader at Hotel Purbani in Dhaka,” the DW 2 said.
During the deposition, Nizam told the tribunal that he did not meet Salauddin Quader during the period between April 1971 in Karachi and April–May 1974 in Hotel Purbani, Dhaka.
Nizam said he was first introduced to Salauddin Quader Chowdhury at Notre Dame College in 1967, Dhaka by a school friend Qayum Reza Chowdhury who was studying in the same batch (67-69). “At that time, Salman Fazlur Rahman, cousin of Qayum, was present.”
“Our friendship continued while we were studying at the Dhaka University (68-69 batch),” he said, adding, “We used to move together. At that time, Salauddin Quader used to live at his Dhanmondi house.”
The DW said he along with his friends Salauddin Quader, Qayum, Salman and Sheikh Kamal had jointly participated in the anti-Ayub movement in 1969.
After his deposition was over, designated prosecutor Zead Al Malum cross-examined Nizam for few minutes and prayed a two-day adjournment for homework over the cross-examination of the DW-2.
Allowing in part the prosecution plea, the tribunal adjourned the proceedings for Tuesday.
Salauddin Quader is facing 23 counts of charges under different provisions of section 3 (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973, including genocide in collaboration with Pakistan occupation army, killing, extermination of Hindu minority groups, deportation, persecution and abduction in Chittagong district during the Liberation War. – UNB
