Complaints have been filed with Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against former Presidents Mohammed Shahabuddin and Abdul Hamid, accusing them of crimes against humanity and dereliction of duty during the July mass uprising.

The complaints were submitted on Sunday by the Bangladesh Azad Party. The complainants alleged that, despite holding the country’s highest constitutional office, the two former presidents failed to take effective measures to prevent atrocities committed during the uprising.

Confirming the filing, retired Colonel Hasinur Rahman said that although widespread killings took place during the July uprising, Mohammed Shahabuddin, who served as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, did not take any action.

The complaint further alleges that until August 5, he remained silently complicit in incidents of enforced disappearances, secret detention centres known as Aynaghar, and extrajudicial killings.

During a briefing at the tribunal, the Bangladesh Azad Party also argued that Abdul Hamid and Mohammed Shahabuddin were serving as heads of state during several major incidents of violence, including the Pilkhana killings and the Shapla Chattar operation.

According to the party’s lawyers, under the principle of “superior responsibility,” the highest-ranking state officials cannot evade responsibility for mass atrocities committed while they were in office.

They alleged that, as commanders-in-chief of the armed forces, the former presidents provided support and protection to what they described as a fascist government and therefore should be held accountable.

Separately, the State Dialogue Forum filed another complaint against Mohammed Shahabuddin, accusing him of assisting fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the July uprising.

That complaint was also submitted to the International Crimes Tribunal on Sunday.