Formal complaint filed with ICT against 30 in Abu Sayed killing case

A formal complaint has been filed with the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) naming 30 suspects in a case over the murder of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayed during the July Uprising.

Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said the prosecution submitted the complaint to the International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, on Monday.

The investigation agency submitted a report in the case to the ICT prosecution on June 24.

On April 9, the prosecution informed the tribunal that four people accused in the case were arrested in another case. They are Begum Rokeya University Proctor Shariful Islam, Chhatra League activist Imran Chowdhury Akash, former SI Amir Hossain, and Constable Sujan Chandra Roy.

The report said, “SI Amir Hossain and Constable Sujan Chandra Roy were directly involved in the incident. Shariful Islam, Imran Chowdhury Akash, and many others provided assistance and incitement to the incident.”

Abu Sayed was killed by police fire on July 16, 2024, during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which started on July 1 to demand the scrapping of the quota system in government jobs.

A video of Abu Sayed spreading his arms while police shot at him was broadcast by the media, sparking widespread outrage and further protests among students and the public. The movement then spread across the country.

A “complete shutdown” programme was observed nationwide from the following day. Sheikh Hasina’s government could not control the situation even after imposing a curfew on July 19 amid clashes and deaths.

The Awami League government fell on August 5 in the face of a mass uprising. Hasina fled to India and has been living there since.

A case of crimes against humanity has also been filed in the tribunal against Hasina, her ministers, MPs, and other top officials. A hearing on the framing of charges in one of these cases is scheduled for Tuesday.