The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Sunday held a hearing on charge framing against 19 accused, including former Dhaka-19 MP Saiful Islam, in a crimes against humanity case filed over the murder of Ashabul Yamin, who was shot and thrown from a police armoured vehicle during the July mass uprising in Savar.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim argued for the prosecution, while lawyer Amir Hossain represented the defence. The tribunal subsequently adjourned the hearing until 27 October following a time petition filed by the defence.
Thirteen of the accused in the case are currently absconding. They are former Dhaka-19 MP Saiful Islam, former DIG of Dhaka Range Syed Nurul Islam, former Superintendent of Police Asaduzzaman Ripon, former Officer-in-Charge of Savar Police Station Shahzaman, and former Officer-in-Charge of Ashulia Police Station AFM Sayed.
The other fugitives include former Savar Upazila Parishad Chairman Manzurul Alam Rajib, Upazila Chhatra League President Md Atiqur Rahman, Dhaka District Awami League Joint General Secretary Fakhrul Alam Samar, Mehdi Hasan Tushar (son of former Savar Pourashava Mayor Abdul Gani), Raju Ahmed (personal assistant to former Upazila Chairman Rajib), Md Farid, Zaman Khan, and Sharif Ashraful Alam Babul.
The remaining six accused are arrested and currently in prison.
They are former Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) of Dhaka District Md Abdullahil Kafi, former Additional Superintendent of Police (Savar Circle) Md Shahidul Islam, ASI Mohammad Ali, Naik Suhel Mia, Constable Mahfuz Mia, and Dhaka District Jubo League President Mizanur Rahman alias GS Mizan.
The tribunal took formal charges against the 19 accused into cognizance on 26 July and issued arrest warrants against the absconding suspects on the same day.
Victim Ashabul Yamin was a fourth-year student of the Computer Science and Engineering Department at Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST).
According to prosecution charges, police and Awami League activists launched an attack on 18 July 2024 during a programme of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Savar Bazar Bus Stand area.
At around 1:30pm, Yamin was dragged towards a police armoured vehicle, where he was shot on the left side of his chest. His chest was pierced by numerous splinters, after which he was dragged and placed on top of the armoured vehicle.
The charges state that duty police personnel drove the armoured vehicle back and forth with Yamin on top to instil fear among the protesting students and members of the public.
At one stage, Yamin was dumped onto the road in a nearly dead condition.
An order was then given from inside the armoured vehicle for a police officer to step out and shoot Yamin in the leg again.
Believing Yamin was already dead, the police officer did not shoot him in the leg, but instead dragged him from one side of the road to the other and dumped him beside the road divider.
Even then, the bullet-riddled Yamin was seen breathing. Locals subsequently rescued him and took him to Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar, where attending doctors declared him dead.
The prosecution has classified the event as a crime against humanity.
