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Staff Correspondent
Dhaka: The Chief Prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Aminul Islam, has stated that the killings during the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel on May 5, 2013, were “planned and targeted.” He said the incident was part of a broader strategy to suppress and eliminate Hefazat-e-Islam.
Speaking at a press conference at his office on Sunday, Aminul Islam said that after a lengthy investigation, the tribunal’s investigation agency had submitted a draft investigation report describing the Shapla Chattar incident as a systematic crime. The report is currently undergoing review to ensure that those genuinely responsible are prosecuted based on an impartial and accurate investigation.
According to the Chief Prosecutor, investigators found that during the 2013 anti-blasphemy blogger movement, the government had formulated a plan at the highest level to dismantle Hefazat-e-Islam. He alleged that the large-scale killings at Shapla Chattar were carried out as part of that plan.
Responding to questions about the accused, Aminul Islam said that because the report remains in draft form, the final list of suspects cannot yet be disclosed. However, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been named as the principal accused in the preliminary report. The draft also includes the names of the former Inspector General of Police, the former Director General of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and several others. He noted that the list may change after the review process is completed.
He further said that Hefazat-e-Islam’s senior leaders are either direct or key witnesses to the incident. Any additional information or testimony they provide during the investigation will be taken into consideration. The final list of accused will only be confirmed once the formal charge sheet is submitted.
Regarding the death toll, the Chief Prosecutor said investigators have so far identified 61 people who were killed in the incident. Of them, 58 have been identified, while the identities of three victims remain unknown.
Earlier on Sunday, a Hefazat-e-Islam delegation led by Senior Vice President Abdul Hamid visited the office of the ICT Chief Prosecutor. The delegation included senior leaders Allama Mamunul Haque, Mufti Harun Izhar, Mufti Mir Idris, and others.