The Bangladesh Army says it has taken 15 of its officers, who face arrest warrants issued by the International Crimes Tribunal in several cases relating to crimes against humanity, into its custody in Dhaka.
Major General Mohammad Hakimuzzaman, adjutant general of the Bangladesh Army, shared the information with journalists during a press conference at the Officers’ Mess in Dhaka Cantonment on Saturday.
Of these officers, 14 are currently serving, while one is on Leave Preparatory to Retirement (LPR). Arrest warrants have been issued against them in connection with allegations of involvement in “enforced disappearances and crimes against humanity,” he said.
A hearing on the issue is scheduled for 22 October, with the accused officers to be presented before the tribunal on the same day, he added.
Major General Hakimuzzaman further said that out of the 30 accused in two cases, 25 are former and current officers from various levels of the Bangladesh Army. Among them, nine are retired, one is on LPR, and 15 are still in active service.
The press conference also revealed that these officers have been taken into custody “as part of the legal process” and that “appropriate actions will be taken as necessary.”
Following the submission of the charge sheet on 8 October, 16 officers, including those on LPR and in active service, were instructed to report to the Army Headquarters by 9 October.
All 15 officers, except former Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Bureau (CTIB) and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) director Major General Kabir Ahmed, confirmed their attendance and have since been taken into custody, according to the press briefing.
Regarding Major General Kabir Ahmed, Hakimuzzaman said that he left his home on the morning of 9 October and has been missing since then.
The ICT issued arrest warrants for 30 accused on Wednesday, following the formal charges presented by the prosecution in two cases of crimes against humanity related to the enforced disappearances and torture of opposition members during the tenure of the Awami League government.
Seventeen of the accused are linked to cases of torture carried out in the Rapid Action Battalion’s Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) cell, while 13 others are implicated in similar crimes committed in the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC).
In both cases, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in the July Uprising, has been named the principal accused. Also included in the list of accused are her Defence and Security Adviser, retired Major General Tariq Ahmed Siddique, and five former Directors General of DGFI.
