Ali Ahsan Mujahid - His anti-liberation activities were evident
from the statements published in the newspapers. While addressing a gathering
of Chhatra Shangha in Faridpur on September 15, 1971, he announced that they
should have occupied Assam (an Indian state bordering Sylhet) before taking
hold of India. He called upon his armed cadres to be prepared for such actions.
Mujahid was quoted in a report published on October 15, as saying that he
criticized Bhutto, Kawsar Niazi and Mufti Mahmud for their objectionable
comments on the Razakars and al-Badars. “The youths of the Razakars and
al-Badar forces and all other voluntary organizations have been working for the
national to protect it from the collaborators and agents of India. But,
recently it was observed that a section of political leaders like ZA Bhutto,
Kawsar Niazi, Mufti Mahmud and Asgar Khan have been making objectionable
remarks about the patriots. Mujahid called upon the govt
During the days of the war Mujahid stayed in various places in Fakirerpul and Nayapaltan in Dhaka. But he mainly resided at some Feroz Mia’s place at 181, Fakirerpul. This Feroz was a commander of Razakar forces, according to eyewitness accounts of Jatiyo party leader Abdus Salam, journalist GM Gaus, freedom fighter and columnist Mahbub Kamal. Feroz’s house served as a HQ for the local Razakars where they secretly met to do strategic plans. This house was a multipurpose facility: was used as a local HQ, training center and torture chamber. According to the locals many people were found taken to the house blind folded and groans of torture were heard. Mujahid was the boss of the horde. Journalist GM Gaus said he knew Mujahid as a leader of an Islamic organization. He was a tenant in Fakirapul area and was actively involved in recruiting local students into his organization long before the liberation war. As soon as the war was declared he formed a battalion of Razakar forces who were only accountable to him. Mujahid then made Feroz Mia the commander of his newly recruited forces and organized arms training for them. Mujahid was also the key figure for the weapons and funds of the organization. From September onwards, when Pakistani army started losing Mujahid changed his strategy from killing the ordinary pro-liberation Bangalees to killing the secular minded Bang alee intellectuals and professionals. Mujahid was one of the key leaders, said Gaus, to raid Dhaka university campus for killing the selected academics.
Abdus Salam reiterated what Gaus said. Salam identified Mujahid as a central leader of Jamat, and as such, his activities were extended to all over Dhaka city. “I recovered, said Salam, a number of important documents and photos from Feroz’s home. The evidences included a list of the Razakar operatives that worked in Dhaka. Their resumes and photos of their various actions. Later the docuements were lost following police raids in my house. After the war Feroz’s house was used as a temporary camp of the freedom fighters.
Columnist Mahbub Kamal described Feroz’s house as a dungeon of
plot and conspiracy. The Razakar arms cadres used to raid the homes of freedom
fighters from this house. He said the residence of the local Awami League
leader Jobed Ali were raided several times. “They also searched home of one of
my friends, Nazu, who was missing since August 71. We believe that Nazu must
have been killed by Feroz and his gang. Kamal also said that one of his cousins
stayed at their place in 71 to look for a job. Mohsin, the cousin, used to go
to the local mosque for prayer where Mujahid asked him to join Razakar force.
Later Kamal’s family had to send Mohsin back to his village so as to save him
from Mujahid’s cohorts. According to the locals of Fakirerpul suburb, Feroz formed a
Razakar force comprising 300 youngsters and deployed them to kill and torture
ordinary people sympathetic to the cause of liberation war. They also reported
that women were tortured in Feroz’s house. One of the top footballers who was
taken by Feroz’s men said that he was brutally tortured in that house. He also
reported seeing a number of young women who were raped day and night by Feroz’s
cadres. After a few years hideout following the victory in liberation
war, Mujahid, like many of his Razakar mates resurfaced and carrying out the
unfinished job of 1971. According to a report in the Weekly Bichitra in 1978,
Mujahid, led the killing of an opponent student leader Abdus Sobhan. One can
bet that Mujahid is one of the champions of creating and operating the Bangla
Forces who are currently ruling the north western districts of Bangladesh.
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