Witness in Sayedee case buried late at night after tension over guard of honour

Freedom fighter Manik Pashari, 87, who testified against former Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee before the International Crimes Tribunal in a crimes against humanity case over atrocities committed in 1971, has been buried.

Radheshyam Sarkar, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Pirojpur Sadar Police Station, said Manik Pashari was buried at around 1:30 am on Sunday in the family graveyard at his home in Chitolia village of Pirojpur Sadar upazila. Family members and relatives were present at the burial.

Tension erupted in Pirojpur on Saturday over the decision to accord Manik Pashari a guard of honour. Some local people demanded that he not be buried there.

During the ensuing tensions, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists were seen gathering and taking positions at various key locations in Pirojpur town.

However, Zahirul Haque, secretary of Pirojpur district Jamaat-e-Islami, said, “We had no objection to Manik Pashari’s burial. However, we did not provide any assistance either. We know nothing about under whose patronage and with whose assistance from the administration the burial took place.”

Manik Pashari was a resident of Chitolia village in Pirojpur Sadar upazila.

According to his family members, he had been staying at his son-in-law’s house in Tungipara, Gopalganj, since 5 August 2024. After being ill for two months, he died there at around 10 am on Saturday.

According to police sources, his relatives brought his body to the Pirojpur Sadar Upazila Parishad around noon on Saturday. The body was subsequently taken to the Pirojpur Police Lines, where he was accorded a guard of honour. He was buried at around 1:30 am on Sunday.

Delwar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to imprisonment until death in a crimes against humanity case relating to the 1971 Liberation War. He died on the night of 14 August 2023 while undergoing treatment in prison custody.