11 AL leaders, two others likely to be produced before ICT today
The jail authorities are set to produce eleven Awami League leaders, a retired Supreme Court judge and a retired bureaucrat before the reconstituted International Crimes Tribunal today (Monday).
They are facing allegations of crimes against humanity committed during the July-August student-led mass movement that culminated in the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5.
The 11 politicians include former ministers Anisul Huq, Faruk Khan, Shahjahan Khan, Kamal Ahmed Mojumder, and Dipu Moni, former advisers to then prime minister Sheikh Hasina Salman F Rahman and Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Haque Inu, former textile and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, and former information and communication technology state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
Senior Awami League leader Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, who was also facing the same charges, cannot be produced before the tribunal as he has been interrogated in Tangail police custody in another case, according to a senior jail officer.
Retired Appellate Division judge AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and former home secretary Jahangir Alam are also facing crimes against humanity charges.
On October 27, the tribunal directed authorities concerned to present the 12 political figures, the retired judge and the retired bureaucrat.
On November 12, the tribunal asked the inspector general of police to request Interpol to issue ‘red notices’ to arrest deposed prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and her several other associates
Hasina, who fled to India following her government’s ouster, along with 46 of her cabinet colleagues, party members, and associates, faces arrest warrants issued by the tribunal on October 17.
Meanwhile, seven complaints were filed with the tribunal on Monday, alleging torture and enforced disappearance of seven activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir.
The complaints named 53 individuals as accused, including members of law enforcement agencies and leaders of the Awami League, Juba League, and Chhatra League.
The complainants include Johnny Islam, Abdul Karim, Saiful Islam, Nurul Amin, Alamgir Hossain, Delwar Hossain, and the elder brother of Kamaruzzaman, who remains missing still.
At a press briefing on the tribunal premises, complainant Saiful Islam detailed his experience of enforced disappearance, describing the physical and psychological trauma he endured.
Abdullah Al Noman, law affairs secretary of ICS, highlighted the broader scope of the complaints, noting that four of the cases involved victims who were maimed or lost limbs due to alleged torture by law enforcement agencies.
He further revealed that one individual returned after three and a half years of disappearance, while another resurfaced after being missing for three and a half months.
According to Noman, ICS members have filed a total of 17 complaints with the tribunal to date, involving 16 ICS activists and one unaffiliated student. He called for a thorough investigation and justice for the victims.\
BSS
