A total of 28 individuals have been identified as alleged masterminds behind a series of enforced disappearances, secret detentions and killings carried out across the country during the tenure of the deposed Awami League government from 2009 till August 2024, according to formal charges submitted before the International Crimes Tribunal.
The list includes the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, the PM’s security adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, several former chiefs of law enforcement agencies, and a number of serving and retired military officers who served in the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) during the period.
According to the prosecution led by Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam, the 28 individuals played central roles in planning, executing, or authorising abductions, secret detentions, torture and disappearances at multiple locations, including inside Dhaka Cantonment and in various RAB battalion compounds. Secret detention cells such as the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) in Uttara and the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC), known as “Aynaghar,” were allegedly used to detain victims for months and years at a time without trial, while families remained in the dark about their whereabouts.
The charges, based on testimonies from 40 survivors who were held at these facilities, claim that the acts amounted to systematic and widespread crimes carried out over a period spanning from 2009 to 5 August 2024. The prosecution argues that the accused individuals acted under a shared plan linked to political consolidation efforts and that their actions constitute crimes against humanity. The formal charge petitions were placed before the Tribunal on 8 October, and arguments in favour of framing charges were presented on 3 December and 7 December.
The tribunal took the charges into cognizance, clearing the way for the commencement of the trial.
According to the prosecution narrative, the Awami League government adopted a strategy to suppress opposing political forces and dissenting voices in an effort to maintain long-term control over the state. As part of this approach, the government allegedly oversaw large-scale extrajudicial killings in the name of “crossfire,” as well as enforced disappearances, abductions, secret confinement and torture. The allegations state that from 2009 onward, these operations expanded nationwide, with DGFI and RAB establishing secret detention centres where detainees were subjected to inhumane treatment.
The TFI cell, located in a two-storey building adjacent to the old armoury inside the RAB-1 battalion compound in Uttara, functioned as a major detention and interrogation facility. Another major site was the JIC—Aynaghar—situated behind the DGFI headquarters within Dhaka Cantonment.
Survivors interviewed by the prosecution described these facilities as cramped, windowless and heavily guarded, with detainees kept in complete isolation from the outside world.
Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam told the tribunal that detainees inside these secret cells were subjected to severe torture, including being “rotated like the hands of a clock,” having their eyes gouged out, and, in some cases, having the flesh on their cheeks scraped off. There were accounts of detainees’ hands being severed and hung on the wall as part of intimidation tactics.
He said that prisoners were kept in conditions unfit for habitation and treated “like animals,” with no information provided to their families, many of whom never saw their relatives again.
List of individuals accused
The prosecution identified 17 accused in relation to enforced disappearances at the TFI cell. Among them, ten are currently under arrest, all of whom are army officers who served in RAB. They are: Colonel Anwar Latif Khan, Colonel Md Jahangir Alam, Colonel Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Colonel KM Azad, Colonel Md Kamrul Hasan, Colonel Md Mahabub Alam, Colonel Mohammad Abdullah Al Momen, Lieutenant Colonel Md Sarwar Bin Kashem, Lieutenant Colonel Md Moshior Rahman Jewel, and Lieutenant Colonel Saiful Islam Suman.
Seven additional accused connected to the TFI cell remain fugitives. They are: former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddiq, former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, former Additional IGP M Khurshid Hossain, former Additional IGP Md Harun-or-Rashid, and Lieutenant Colonel Md Khairul Islam.
Alongside these, the prosecution charged 13 individuals in disappearance cases related to the JIC. They include: Sheikh Hasina, Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddiq, Lieutenant General (retd) Md Akbar Hossain, Major General (retd) Md Saiful Abedin, Lieutenant General (retd) Md Saiful Alam, Lieutenant General (retd) Ahmed Tabrez Shams Chowdhury, Major General (retd) Hamidul Haque, Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Mokhchurul Haque, Major General (retd) Mohammad Touhidul Ul Islam, Major General Kabir Ahmad, Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqi, and Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Majhar Siddiqi. Among these, the last three have been arrested.
Although the combined lists include 30 names, the prosecution notes that Sheikh Hasina and Tariq Ahmed Siddiq appear in both sets of charges. Thus, the total number of unique accused stands at 28.
Charges against Hasina
The formal charges state that Sheikh Hasina did not personally abduct individuals but enforced disappearances occurred with her knowledge and often under her instructions. In several cases, prosecutors argue, she directly ordered abductions, detentions, torture, or enforced disappearances. In other cases, orders were issued by her subordinates, including former Home Minister Kamal and Security Adviser Siddiq, allegedly with her approval.
The charges further state that despite being aware of the operations, she did not issue orders to stop the detentions or take disciplinary actions against those involved. As the head of the executive branch and supreme authority over security agencies, the prosecution argues, she had both the jurisdiction and the responsibility to intervene but did not. Charges have been brought under doctrines of superior command responsibility and joint criminal enterprise.
Prosecutor Mizanul Islam told TIMES of Bangladesh that after examining the charges, the prosecution concluded that enforced disappearances and killings were committed with “government approval, sponsorship and involvement.” He added that the accused acted as masterminds in a structured plan, and the prosecution expected the tribunal to consider framing charges accordingly.
Accounts of 40 survivors
The prosecution’s charges describe the details of their disappearances. These individuals were detained at secret detention cells run by RAB and DGFI. Some were held in multiple detention centres. Many victims of enforced disappearance never returned, but these 40 survived.
In the RAB disappearance cell, among others, 14 detainees were identified. The first person’s disappearance began on 23 May 2016; the last person’s disappearance ended on 6 August last year.
Dr Ashiq-ul-Akbar entered disappearance on 23 May 2016. After about two months, he was shown arrested and produced before court on 21 July.
Tajul Islam Sumon had already been disappeared in a DGFI-run detention cell. Around 20 August 2016, he was handed over to RAB. From that day, he was kept disappeared for about 40 days in the TFI cell in Uttara. Then he was held in secret detention centres of RAB-6, RAB-10 and RAB-7, and was finally shown arrested on 8 December 2016 in three cases of Akbar Shah Police Station, Chattogram.
Mahmudul Hasan was disappeared from 20 June 2016 to 19 July 2016. On 21 July, he was shown arrested in three cases of Tongi Police Station.
Nure Alam had already been disappeared in the JIC. Around 27 June 2016, he was handed over to RAB. Then, after TFI cell in Uttara, he was taken to secret detention cells of RAB-4, RAB-10 and RAB-7. He was shown arrested on 8 December that year in three cases at Akbar Shah Police Station.
Md Shariatullah was kept disappeared from 29 June to 19 July 2016 in the TFI cell in Uttara. Then he was detained at RAB-1 and shown arrested on 21 July in three cases of Tongi Police Station.
Md Rajibul Islam had also already been disappeared in the JIC. Around 2 June 2016, he was handed over to RAB. From that day, he was kept disappeared in the TFI cell for about 40 days. Afterwards he was kept in secret detention cells of RAB-4 and RAB-2. On 18 November he was shown arrested in two cases of Airport Police Station, Dhaka.
Supreme Court lawyer Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman was abducted on 9 August 2016. Arman remained disappeared in the TFI cell until 6 August last year—he was released after eight years.
Saiful Islam Tarek had already been disappeared at RAB-7. From about 3 August 2017 to 19 December 2020 he was kept disappeared in the TFI cell in Uttara. Then he was detained at RAB-14 and shown arrested the next day in a case in Fulbaria Police Station, Mymensingh.
Rizwan Mahmud Anik had also already been disappeared in the JIC. On about 22 February 2020 he was handed over to RAB. From that day he was kept disappeared in the TFI cell until 23 March—about 30 days. Afterwards he was detained at RAB-3 and shown arrested on 24 March in a case of Motijheel Police Station.
Md Fayez had also already been disappeared in the JIC. On about 22 February 2020 he too was handed over to RAB. From that day he was kept disappeared in the TFI cell until 23 March—about 30 days. Then he was detained at RAB-3 and shown arrested on 24 March in a Motijheel case.
Masroor Anwar Chowdhury was abducted on 1 March 2020 and kept disappeared until 6 March—about 6 days—in the TFI cell in Uttara. Then he was detained at RAB-11 and shown arrested the next day in a case in Fatullah Police Station, Narayanganj.
Sohail Rana had already been disappeared in the JIC. On about 1 August 2021 he was handed over to RAB. From that day until 18 September 2023 he was kept disappeared in the TFI cell. Then he was detained at RAB-6 and shown arrested the next day in an old case of Mollahat Police Station, Bagerhat.
Mehedi Hasan Dollar was abducted on 6 November 2021 and kept disappeared in the TFI cell until 28 April 2022—about 173 days. After torture, he was trafficked to India.
Md Shafiqul Islam was held disappeared from 13 January to 21 February 2022 in the TFI cell. He was handed over to RAB-13 on 22 February 2022 and shown arrested in an old case at Nilphamari Police Station.
According to the formal charges, the RAB DG, ADG (Ops), and Directors of Intelligence would take charge of the detainees from their predecessors when assuming their posts. When transferred, they would hand over the detainees to their successors. Therefore, for each disappeared detainee, the DG, ADG (Ops), and Intelligence Directors in position during the detention period are directly involved.
A total of 26 people were kept disappeared at the JIC
The accused are charged with keeping 26 people disappeared at the JIC between 22 October 2015 and 6 August last year.
Sheikh Md Abu Saleh Liton entered disappearance on 22 October 2015. He was abducted from his home and kept disappeared at the DGFI detention cell JIC—i.e., Aynaghar—until 24 October 2016.
Tajul Islam Sumon was abducted on 4 November 2015 and was disappeared at the JIC until 20 June 2016.
Abuzar Gifari was abducted on 28 January 2016 and kept disappeared at the JIC until 20 October 2016.
Md Rajibul Islam was abducted on 28 February 2016 and kept disappeared at the JIC until 21 June 2016.
Maulana Abdul Hakim Faridi was abducted on 25 March 2016 and kept disappeared in Aynaghar until 25 October 2016.
Md Nure Alam was abducted on 12 April 2016 and kept disappeared in the JIC until 26 June 2016.
Sheikh Ibtessam Ahmed Sami was abducted on 29 April 2016 and kept in Aynaghar until 26 October 2016.
Nazim Uddin was abducted on 25 June 2016 and kept in the JIC until 20 October 2016.
Sheikh Selim was abducted on 29 May 2016 and disappeared in the JIC until 5 July 2016.
On 4 August 2016, while on his way to court, Hummam Quader Chowdhury was abducted and kept in the JIC until 2 March the following year. Then he was blindfolded and left near his home.
Brigadier General (retd) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi was abducted from his home on 22 August 2016 and kept in Aynaghar until 6 August last year. Then he was blindfolded and left near Tangail.
Md Kamrul Hasan Kajol was abducted on 16 January 2017 and kept in the JIC until 18 April 2017.
Md Mostafa Majumdar was abducted on 13 February 2017 and kept disappeared in Aynaghar until 17 April that year.
Syed Sadat Ahmed was abducted on 22 August 2017 and kept in the JIC until 3 December.
M Maruf Zaman was abducted on 4 December 2017 and remained detained in the JIC until 15 March 2019.
Iqbal Chowdhury was abducted from home on 7 May 2018 and kept in Aynaghar until 25 April 2019.
Lieutenant Colonel Hasinur Rahman was abducted from home on 8 August 2018 and detained in Aynaghar until 22 February 2020. He later disclosed information about Aynaghar.
Syed Akidul Ali was abducted on 13 January 2019 and kept disappeared in Aynaghar until 23 September that year.
Md Khorshed Alam Patwari was abducted on 13 January 2019 and kept disappeared until 23 September that year.
Md Ashraf Ali was abducted on 27 January 2019 and remained missing until 16 October 2021.
Md Nurul Islam alias Nazrul was abducted on 27 February 2019 and kept disappeared until 20 February 2020.
Md Babul Mia was abducted on 8 March 2019 and detained until 20 February 2020.
Michael Chakma was abducted on 9 April 2019. He was detained until 5 August 2024. The next day, he was blindfolded and his hands tied, and then he was left in a hilly forest in Chattogram.
Rizwan Mahmud Anik was abducted on 4 November 2019 and kept in Aynaghar until 22 February 2020.
Md Fayez was abducted on 11 January 2020 and kept disappeared in the JIC until 22 February that year.
Sohail Rana was abducted on 14 July 2021 and kept in Aynaghar until 1 August that year.
