A Dhaka Medical College Hospital doctor yesterday told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that many patients with gunshot wounds sustained during last year’s July uprising were shot from high above.
“Several patients reported being shot from high places or helicopters. In some cases, bullets entered through their heads and exited through their backs,” said Dr Mostak Ahmed, then a medical officer and now residential surgeon at the hospital’s casualty department.
He said bullet trajectories indicated top-to-down firing, unlike the usual upward or horizontal trajectories.
Mostak was testifying as a prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her two top aides. He said he treated a large number of gunshot victims between July 19–21 and August 4–5 last year, most of them aged 20–30.
Recalling one harrowing case, he said a father and son arrived with bullet wounds, but the father died in hospital as his injured son mourned helplessly.
The doctor alleged that some colleagues affiliated with Swachip (Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad), a pro-Awami League doctors’ association, asked them not to be over enthusiastic in treating the victims and said that criminals should not be treated. He added that five doctors were transferred on July 25 last year to obstruct treatment of the injured.
Mostak further said that during the anti-discrimination student movement, Chhatra League activists stopped ambulances near Dhaka University’s Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, asked about patients’ identities, and obstructed the injured from reaching the hospital.
“During treatment, armed Chhatra League activists entered the hospital and inquired about the injured. Students pleaded us to hide their identities,” he said, holding Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and law enforcers responsible for the brutality and demanding justice.
Apart from Mostak, four other witnesses testified yesterday.
Nasir Uddin, a trader from Feni, testified that he was shot twice by armed members of Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League when they attacked an anti-discrimination procession that he participated in Feni town on August 5 last year. One bullet pierced through his right heel while another one hit below his left knee and got stuck in a bone.
He told the tribunal that he later heard that seven or eight people were shot dead in Feni on August 4 that year.
He said with the under of Sheikh Hasina, AL ministers Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Obaidul Quader, Awami League men led by local lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari shot protesters.
Saidur Rahman, grandfather of deceased Shariar Khan Anas narrated how the 10th grader left home, joined the protest and was killed with five others in Chankharpul on August 5.
Mafizur Rahman, assistant director of Mitford Hospital, testified that investigators seized three bullets from hospital officials, removed from bodies of wounded protesters.
DMCH Assistant Registrar Monirul Islam in his testimony said 23 bullets, pellets and bullet fragments were also seized from the hospital.
During cross-examination, state defence counsel Amir Hossain, representing Hasina and Asaduzzaman, claimed that the witnesses had made false statements. He alleged Mostak testified due to “ideological differences”, which Mostak denied.
Amir also disputed the claims that shots were fired from helicopter and from high places. Prosecutor told the tribunal that they hope to finish presenting the prosecution witnesses within the next two weeks. The number of prosecution witnesses in the case is 81 and 29 have testified so far.
