Journalist Mohid testifies he was shot by police despite identifying himself during Uprising

Testimonies in the crimes against humanity case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina are nearing completion, with witnesses alleging direct police involvement in deadly crackdowns during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.

On Monday, photojournalist Mohid Hossain from Sylhet testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1, saying that police opened fire on him even after he identified himself as a journalist. He was then a staff member of Ekattorer Kotha, a local daily.

At least six witnesses, including Mohid, gave statements before the three-member panel led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, reports bdnews24.com.

Recounting events of Jul 19, 2024, Mohid said the BNP had organised a Gayebana Janaza or representational funeral prayer at the Collectorate Jame Mosque near Madhuban Point in Sylhet. As was customary, the funeral was followed by a peaceful procession heading towards Zindabazar.

“Suddenly, police opened fire from behind,” Mohid told the tribunal. He and colleague Abu Torab, a photojournalist for Daily Jalalabad and Daily Naya Diganta, were covering the event.

“I raised my hand and shouted at the officers, ‘Dastagir Bhai, we are journalists, don’t shoot us’. Despite this, they continued firing,” Mohid said, naming police ADC Sadiq Kausar Dastagir, AC Mizanur Rahman of Kotwali Police Station, OC Mohiuddin and others as those responsible.

Torab was struck by bullets and collapsed. Mohid recounted rushing him first onto a rickshaw, then into a CNG autorickshaw to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital. Treatment there was allegedly obstructed by police and ruling party members, forcing a transfer to Ibn Sina Hospital, where Torab died at 6:45pm.

Mohid submitted two videos of the shooting to the tribunal on a pen drive. One video, shown during the hearing, depicted police firing on demonstrators, with a bloodied Torab struggling onto a rickshaw as Mohid tried to wheel him away.

He told the tribunal he later learned from Al Jazeera and BBC documentaries that Hasina herself had ordered police to open fire on protesters. According to Mohid, subsequent reports implicated the then home minister, police chief, and home secretary.

Other testimonies were also recorded Monday. Journalist Humayun Kabir Liton of Sylhet appeared, alongside Dr Mohammad Hasanat Al Matin, assistant director at Dhaka’s Mugda Medical College Hospital. Matin testified that a bullet was removed on Jul 19 from a patient named Shamsul Islam, who later died in the ICU.

Prosecutor Md Mizanul Islam said recording of testimonies is in the “final stage”, with around 40 witnesses heard so far.