Ex Maj.General KM Shafiullah's cross examination !
ZRahman986
Bangabandhu Murder Case
Verbatim Text of Cross Examination of 45th Prosecution Witness
Continued from yesterday
Cross examination of PW-45 in Bangabandhu murder case Major General (retd) KM
Shafiullah was completed at the trial court on Wednesday.
Following are the excerpts from his examination by advocate Khan Saifur Rahman,
defence lawyer for principal accused Lt Col (dismissed) Syed Farooq Rahman :
Q : You were promoted to Colonel from Lieutenant Colonel and made Chief of Army
Staff from August, 1971 to April 7, 1972.
A : Yes.
Q : You were promoted to the first Brigadier and later Major General by the
period from April, 1972 to September, 1973.
A : Yes, but I don't know why you are raising the questions. At that time, many
deputy secretaries were promoted to secretaries.
Q : You got promotion very fast as the overall situation was in favour of you.
A : This is not correct. The favour was not only to me. My friend Ziaur Rahman
was also promoted in the same way. The rapid promotions were made to fill up
the vacancies as Bangladesh was a new-born country at that time.
Q : Was any vacuum created in the government following the incident of August
15, 1975?
A : Not only me, the entire country was astonished because of suddenness of the
incident. The situation was result of the vacuum created following the
assassination of Bangabandhu.
Q : Did you tell the IO that an unwanted incident occurred between the wife of
Major Dalim and son of Awami League leader Gazi Golam Mostafa at a club in
Dhaka?
A : The issue on Dalim's wife was exaggerated.
Q : And before that, Sheikh Kamal, son of Bangabandhu, received bullet wounds
in Motijheel one night.
A : This is not known to me.
Q : Was the article written by Lt Col Ziauddin in Holiday objective?
A : I can't recall the subject of the article. But it was against the
government which was an anti-disciplinary act.
Q : Was your intelligence unit active?
A : There was shortage of manpower in the intelligence unit. But it was active.
Q : Did you ask the troops to be ready as artillery and armour could be
resisted by three battalions of infantry?
A : I asked them to get ready and resist as the resistance was needed by the
force which we had.
Q : Was the helicopter of Air Force capable of landing on the rooftop of
Bangabandhu's house to rescue him?
A : There was no such helicopter at that time.
Q : Do you know that Shah Moazzem Hossain and KM Obaidur Rahman are not accused
in this case?
A : No, I don't know it.
Q : Did you hear the movement of tank on August 14 night?
A : No.
Q : Was the government before BKSAL democratic one?
At this stage, Shafiullah felt chest pain and the court was adjourned. Khan
Saifur completed his examination without knowing answer of the question when
the court resumed after about one hour.
Examination by advocate TM Akbar, defence lawyer for accused Lt Col (LPR)
Muhiuddin :
Q : From when you were interested to be involved in politics?
A : I had no intention to involve myself in politics. I had to join politics to
meet the demand of the situation.
Q : There was discontent among the army officers after dismissal of Major Dalim
and Major Noor?
A : Yes.
Q : Did you try to remove the discontent?
A : Yes, I tried to convince the officers that there is no scope of
indiscipline in army.
Q : Did you recommend not to dismiss them as the reason for what they were
dismissed was incorrect?
A : Not that. I tried to return them on the correct way.
Q : Was your opinion sought before formation of Rakkhi Bahini?
A : No.
Q : Did Shafaat Jamil carry out your order to tame the incident on August 15?
A : It was not seen in my eyes.
Q : Did you ask him for it?
A : I didn't get the scope.
Examination by advocate Sharfuddin Mukul, defence lawyer for accused Taheruddin
Thakur, state minister of both Bangabandhu and Khandaker Mushtaque governments
:
Q : Was Taheruddin Thakur State Minister for Information from August 15 to 24
when you were Chief of Army Staff?
A : Yes.
Q : A civil administration was at that time.
A : Yes.
Q : Did you see Taheruddin Thakur Saheb before August 15?
A : Yes.
Q : How? As a minister or MP or journalist?
A : I saw him as a freedom fighter during the Liberation War.
Q : Was he a state minister of Bangabandhu cabinet before August 15?
A : Yes.
Q : Did you see him on various occasions?
A : Yes, I saw him.
Q : Was he an MP of Awami League?
A : Yes.
Q : Did you witness any oath taking ceremony of President or cabinet earlier?
A : Yes, I was present as Chief of Army Staff when the cabinet took oath after
independence.
Q : Did you also witness oath taking ceremony of the President?
A : Yes.
Q : Did the civil and military administrations run together without any
conflict?
A : Yes.
Q : According to you, you came to the radio station in an unusual situation and
returned to the cantonment around 11am on August 15?
A : I was taken to my office from the radio station. Later, I was also taken to
Bangabhaban.
Q : But you gave different statement in "Facts and Documents".
A : The newspapers and books did not publish as exactly I told them.
Q: At the radio station, did Mushtaque tell you: I want my generals in my oath
taking ceremony at Bangabhaban?
A: He told me that the oath taking ceremony will take place before Jumma and he
wanted to see all the chiefs.
Q: Accordingly you attended the ceremony.
A: I was present at the ceremony.
Q: Did it take place before or after Jumma prayer?
A: The oath taking ceremony of the President took place before Jumma while of
the cabinet in the afternoon.
Q: There was a good gathering.
A: There was a small gathering.
Q: Did you see Major General Manzur (then a Lieutenant Colonel) at Bangabhaban?
A: I saw him in the afternoon.
Q: Was he posted in India at that time?
A: In Delhi.
Q: What was his job?
A: Military Advisor at Bangladesh High Commission there.
Q: Did you see General Nasim or General Nooruddin at Bangabhaban?
A: I can't recall.
Q: Any other officers?
A: Those who violated the army discipline, of whose names I mentioned earlier.
Q: Did you go to Savar from Bangabhaban?
A: I was taken to Savar.
Q: Where?
A: At the Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini Headquarters.
Q: Did you meet Rakkhis there?
A: I met the Rakkhi officers.
Q: The news of oath taking ceremony was published in newspapers along with your
pictures.
A: I saw it.
Q: Former Presidents Abu Syeed Chowdhury and Mohammadullah were among the
cabinet members who took oath on August 15.
A: Yes.
Q: Did you know Prof Mozaffar Ahmed Chowdhury who was known as Prof MAC?
A: No.
Q: Did Shah Moazzem Hossain, Dewan Farid Gazi, Nurul Islam Manju and KM Obaidur
Rahman take oath on that day?
A: I didn't know all. Their names are supposed to be preserved at cabinet
division, had they been taken oath as ministers.
Q: Abdul Mannan also took oath. He is now an MP of your party.
A: Yes.
Q: Dewan Farid Gazi is also an MP along with you.
A: Yes.
Q: When did Prof Abu Sayeed take your interview?
A: He never take my interview.
Q: He, in his book "Facts and Documents" published your interview which was
earlier carried out by Bhorer Kagoj. Do you know?
A: I know it.
Q: He is now a minister.
A: State minister.
Q: Whip Prof Rafiqul Islam has become a state minister recently.
A: Yes.
Q: He edited a book titled "Bangabandhu Hattyar Dalil". There is an article of
you in the book.
A: Yes, I know it.
Q: Did you write any book on killing of Bangabandhu?
A: No, but I have a plan to write a book on the assassination of Bangabandhu.
Q: You stayed at Bangabhaban voluntarily.
A: No, I was confined there.
Q: But you didn't tell the IO it.
A: I told him.
Q: You, in the August 19 army conference, gave the explanation at what
situation you had to take responsibility of the incident.
A: No, I explained the situation.
Q: And also your own position.
A: No, I couldn't do it.
Q: What was the barrier?
A: All on a sudden 46 Brigade Commander Col Shafaat Jamil shouted to Farooq and
Rashid saying "you killed Bangabandhu. You will be tried."
Q: What was the motto of the conference?
A: To hold trial against those who violated discipline after establishing chain
of command.
Q: Did you convene the meeting at the dictation of any one?
A: No, I called the meeting at my own authority.
Q: Can there be army without a government?
A: No, it should not be. There was also a government during the Liberation War.
Q: Did any foreign diplomat meet Khandaker Mushtaque till August 18?
A: Yes, the American Ambassador, Indian High Commissioner and Libyan
Ambassador.
Q: You were the second most powerful person after August 15?
A: Not correct.
Q: You enjoyed the confidence of entire army.
A: I built the Bangladesh Army. I didn't want that the army is destroyed in
front of my eyes. I would be the President if I wanted the post. But I didn't
want it. I expressed my allegiance as I didn't want bloodshed.
Q: Were the army loyal to you?
A: All, except few who had violated the chain of command.
Q: What was the strength of army on August 15?
A: Around 45,000.
Q: And the Rakkhi Bahini's strength was about 20,000.
A: I didn't know it. However, 13,000 to 14,000 Rakkhis were absorbed in army.
Q: Do you know former Jute Minister Shamsul Haq?
A: Yes, I don't know whether he is still alive or not.
Q: He was made ambassador after August 15.
A: Yes. To Russia.
Q: The involvement of army in Bangladesh politics began on August 15.
A: There was no involvement during my period.
Q: Would you have been President, had you wished.
A: I would have been the President, had I wished it. But I never thought it.
Q: Your successor Ziaur Rahman had become President.
A: Yes.
Q: Ershad?
A: Yes.
Q: Atiq?
A: No.
Q: Nooruddin?
A: He joined politics after his retirement. He is now a minister.
Q: General Nasim?
A: He was dismissed from army in unjust way.
(The judge didn't record the question and answer about General Nasim).
Q: Khaled Mosharraf had also become Chief of Army Staff.
A: Yes. He was killed in a sepoy rebellion.
Q: Did you go to the radio station for once only?
A: That was my first visit to the radio station.
Q: Like you Taheruddin Thakur is a victim of circumstances.
A: I was a victim. He (Thakur) can say about himself.
With this, cross examination of Shafiullah was completed. The court will resume
at 9:30 am on January 26 (Monday).
- UNB
Further texts of cross examination will be published as and when received
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Daily Star Internet Edition, is jointly published by the Daily Star with
the technical assistance provided by Onirban. If you have questions or comments
about the Daily Star: Internet Edition or