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The recording of testimony has concluded in a crimes against humanity case over the alleged killing of two men in a staged crossfire in Agailjhara, Barishal, with the International Crimes Tribunal-2 setting December 7 for closing arguments.
The tribunal’s two-member panel, headed by Justice Md Manjurul Bashid, fixed the date on Thursday (November 12). The other member was Justice Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.
On the day, state-appointed defence lawyer Amir Hossain cross-examined investigation officer Md Moktadir Hossain on behalf of two absconding accused. Moktadir, the case’s 23rd witness, was the final witness to be cross-examined, completing the testimony phase.
Prosecutors Mizanul Islam and Faruk Ahmed, among others, were present during the hearing.
Four people are accused in the case. Two are in custody: former assistant sub-inspectors of Wazirpur Police Station Md Mahabul Islam and Jasim Uddin. The other two — former Barishal-1 MP Abul Hasanat Abdullah and former Barishal superintendent of police Ehsan Ullah — remain absconding.
The victims were Tipu Howlader, joint secretary of the Agailjhara upazila unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, and Kabir Molla, organising secretary of the upazila unit of Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (JASAS).
The tribunal formally framed charges against the four accused and ordered the trial to begin on May 20.
According to the prosecution, Tipu and Kabir were political rivals of Abul Hasanat Abdullah. It alleges that he abused state power to plan and orchestrate their killings and instructed then-SP Ehsan Ullah to implement the plan.
The prosecution further alleges that police arrested the two men in a fabricated case on February 20, 2015, and later staged a crossfire incident near the Agailjhara bypass road along the Gournadi-Gopalganj highway. They were allegedly taken there by then-ASI Mahabul Islam and Jasim Uddin and shot dead.