The International Crimes Tribunal-1 is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Wednesday, in a case involving crimes against humanity committed in Dhaka’s Rampura during the July mass uprising.
ICT-1 had fixed the date on 15 February following the conclusion of legal arguments. The prosecution has sought the maximum penalty for five accused individuals, including Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) ex-commissioner Habibur Rahman.
The other defendants in the case are former additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of the DMP’s Khilgaon Zone Md Rashedul Islam, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Rampura Police Station Md Mashiur Rahman, former sub-inspector (SI) Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan, and former assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Chanchal Chandra Sarkar.
Of the accused, Chanchal Chandra Sarkar is currently in custody.
The allegations center on the shooting of Amir Hossain and the killing of two others, identified as Nadim and Maya Islam, in the Banasree area of Rampura on 19 July 2024.
According to the case details, Amir Hossain was returning home after Jummah prayers when he was caught in the middle of clashes.
He sought refuge on the fourth floor of an under-construction building to escape police fire. Police personnel reportedly pursued him to the fourth floor, pointed firearms at him, and repeatedly ordered him to jump.
One officer fired shots to intimidate him, leading a terrified Amir to leap and hang from a metal rod of the building. While he was hanging, a police officer from the third floor allegedly fired six shots at his legs.
Hossain managed to drop to the third floor after the police left and was subsequently rescued and taken to a local hospital. Although he suffered heavy bleeding, he survived the ordeal. However, Nadim and Maya Islam were killed by police gunfire in Rampura on the same day.
The formal trial commenced on 18 September last year after charges were framed. This followed the submission of the investigation report to the Chief Prosecutor’s office on 31 July and the filing of formal charges by Prosecutor Farooq Ahammad on 7 August.
During the trial, defence lawyers argued that their clients had no involvement with the allegations brought by the prosecution. Conversely, the prosecution maintained the gravity of the crimes and demanded the highest level of punishment for all five accused.
