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Deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was indicted Sunday in an open-court trial, along with two others, for "crimes against humanity" committed during the July-August 2024 uprising.
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 in Dhaka took into cognizance five counts of formal charges brought against them and issued warrant of arrest against the fugitives.
The two others are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun.
The tribunal issued a fresh arrest warrant against the former premier and the former home minister as they have been absconding.
A three-member bench of the ICT-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the orders after holding a preliminary hearing on the charges pressed against the accused.
The tribunal set June 16 for further proceedings in the case. It also asked the respondents to submit a report regarding the fugitives and to produce arrested accused Mamun that day.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam and his team submitted the formal charges to the court, detailing five specific crimes against humanity that include superior-command responsibility committed during the uprising.
On all five counts, the accused are charged with crimes against humanity, including murder, attempted murder, widespread and systematic killings, incitement, provocation, aiding and abetting, conspiracy, other inhumane acts, and failure to prevent the commission of these crimes.
Provocative speeches of Sheikh Hasina given at a press conference on July 14 last year at the Gonobhaban, direction for using helicopters, drones and lethal weapons during the student-led quota movement, and implementation of that direction by the sub-ordinates to former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Manmun have been included in the charges.
The shooting to death of innocent and unarmed Abu Sayeed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, on July 16, the killing of six students and people in Chankarpul area in Dhaka and the killing of another six protesters at Ashulia and the torching of their bodies were also among the charges.
The prosecution team also submitted many call records, audio and video clippings, bullets recovered from the bodies of the martyrs and injured persons, documents found from national and international organisations and flight schedules of the helicopters used during the uprising as evidences of the charges.
During the hearing, the Chief Prosecutor said, "We have started this trial to ensure the accountability for the crimes committed during that painful chapter in the nation's history. Widespread and systematic attacks were carried out to eliminate freedom-aspired students and people."
He also submitted that it was "a coordinated elimination plan according to the evidences and mass-media reports. Administration, Police, intelligence, other forces, ruling-party men and their armed cadres participated in these planned killings".
A total of 81 persons have been named as witnesses in the case. The 135-page formal charges include 8747-page documented evidences.
The proceedings of the tribunal were broadcast live on Bangladesh Television, marking a first in the judicial history of the country.
The Hasina regime came to an end on August 5 last year in the face of a mass uprising led by students and people. Later on August 14, a complaint was submitted with the ICT against this former Prime Minister on charges of committing crime against humanity.
The Investigation Officer started the investigation on October 14 in 2024 and submitted the report to the Chief Prosecutor office on May 12 this year, within six months and 28 days, against these three on trial.
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