International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) on Sunday set 27 October for the charge framing hearing against 11 individuals, including former lawmaker Abdur Rahman Badi, in a crime against humanity case.
The case was filed over the 2018 killing of municipal councillor Ekramul Haque in an alleged gunfight in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.
ICT-2 passed the order following a time petition submitted by the defence. Prosecutor Faruk Ahmed confirmed the matter.
Four of the accused in the case – former MP Badi, Brigadier General Miftah Uddin Ahmed, Brigadier General Md Mahbub Alam, and former RAB director general Anwar Latif Khan –have been arrested and are currently detained in prison.
The remaining seven accused are absconding. They are ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, Major Ruhul Amin, and army officers Najmus Sakib and Ashikur Rahman.
On 7 September, the court ordered the appointment of defence counsel at state expense to represent the absconding suspects.
According to the prosecution allegations, Ekramul, councillor of Ward No. 3 of Teknaf Municipality and president of Upazila Jubo League, was picked up from a road in Kirontoli area around 10:30pm on 26 May 2018.
Between 11pm and midnight, he was killed in an alleged RAB “gunfight” near Marine Drive along the seashore at Noakhaliapara in Teknaf Sadar Union.
The prosecution has brought charges against the accused for illegal detention, abduction, staging a gunfight drama to shoot and kill Ekramul, as well as involvement, instigation, assistance, and issuing orders for the murder.
Formal charges in the case were submitted by the prosecution to the Registrar’s Office of the International Crimes Tribunal on 26 July.
Following a hearing on the charges that day, the court took cognisance of the allegations against all 11 accused, including Sheikh Hasina.
