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The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has set Jul 1 as the date of the indictment hearing against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun in the case over genocide during the July-August Uprising.
A three-member bench led by Tribunal Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder set the date on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim represented the prosecution at the tribunal, reports bdnews24.com.
On Jun 16, the tribunal ordered the publishing of public notices ordering Hasina and Khan to appear before the court within a week in two different newspapers. Then, on Jun 17, the ICT issued notices ordering Hasina and Khan to surrender to the court.
The former premier and others are on trial at the ICT for ordering and planning the shooting and killing of unarmed students and members of the public during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement protests.
On Dec 17 last year, the tribunal ordered the investigations against Hasina, former minister Obaidul Quader, and 44 others, in two cases to be completed within two months.
Then, on Feb 18, the tribunal ordered the completion of the investigation against Hasina by Apr 20. Officials from the tribunal's investigation agency submitted the investigation report against Hasina on May 12. The investigation report stated that Hasina’s name has emerged as the “superior commander” who ordered the massacres in July and August last year.
On Jun 1, the tribunal took cognisance of five charges against Hasina, Khan, and Mamun. On that day, a new arrest warrant was issued against Hasina and Khan in the case.
On that day, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and Prosecutors Abdus Sobhan Tarafdar and Mizanul Islam read out the charges against Hasina and the two others in court. The reading of the charges was broadcast by the media.