Play store
The International Crimes Tribunal is scheduled to hear a prosecution petition on the formal framing of charges against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 40 others in a crimes against humanity case over the killings surrounding Hefazat-e-Islam’s rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, Dhaka, on May 5, 2013.
The hearing is set for Sunday (November 1) before a three-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.
The prosecution will seek the formal framing of charges against all 41 accused, taking the judicial proceedings a step forward.
The hearing was originally scheduled for October 7 but was deferred after the defence sought more time. The tribunal subsequently fixed November 1 for the hearing.
Eleven accused have been arrested in the case. They include Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president and former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu, former state minister for home affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, former food minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, former ministers Dr Dipu Moni and Abdul Latif Siddiqui.
Others in custody include former inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque, former Major General Ziaul Ahsan, former deputy inspector general Abdul Jalil Mondol, Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee president Shahriar Kabir, Ekattor Television managing director Mozammel Haque Babu and journalist Farzana Rupa.
The remaining 30 accused, including Sheikh Hasina, are absconding.
They include former home minister Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Awami League presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, former information minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former state minister Mrinal Kanti Das and former minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.
The list of absconding accused also includes former Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury, former MP Salahuddin Mahmud, Gonojagoron Moncho spokesperson Dr Imran H Sarker, former IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary and Benazir Ahmed.
Former RAB director general Md Mukhlesur Rahman, former army chief General Aziz Ahmed, Lieutenant General Md Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Muhammad Maruf Hasan, Mahbub Hossain and Monirul Islam, along with several former and serving police officials at the time, are also among the accused.
Other absconding accused include former Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioners Md Anwar Hossain and Ashrafuzzaman, additional deputy commissioner SM Mehedi Hasan, former DIG Harun-or-Rashid, Biplob Kumar Sarkar, Syed Nurul Islam, former DMP additional deputy commissioner Md Asaduzzaman, additional superintendent of police SM Shibli Noman and former Motijheel Police Station officer-in-charge BM Farman Ali.
On September 3, Tribunal-2 ordered the publication of notices in two national dailies asking Sheikh Hasina and 29 other accused to surrender.
Law enforcement agencies submitted non-execution reports to the prosecution, saying the accused could not be found at their permanent or temporary addresses.
On September 16, the tribunal declared the 30 accused fugitives for failing to surrender and ordered the appointment of state-funded lawyers to represent them.
According to case records, Tribunal-2 took cognisance of the formal charges filed by the prosecution against the 41 accused on July 27. It also issued arrest warrants for the absconding accused and ordered that those in custody be produced before the tribunal.
The case involves two charges. The first concerns the killing of 32 people at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka on May 5, 2013.
The second relates to killings on May 6, including 20 people in Siddhirganj of Narayanganj, as well as alleged killings in different parts of the country.
