The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced three former police officers to death, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman, for crimes against humanity during the July 2024 uprising in Rampura, Dhaka.
The case involved two murders and multiple shootings.
The other two sentenced to death are former DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Rashedul Islam and former Rampura police station officer-in-charge Md Mashiur Rahman. All three remain absconding.
Additionally, Habibur has previously received a death sentence in a separate case involving murders in the Chankharpul area.
Of the remaining accused, former SI Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan received life imprisonment and remains at large. Former ASI Chanchal Chandra Sarkar was sentenced to 20 years in prison while being acquitted of two other charges; he is currently the only convict under arrest.
The three-member ICT-1 bench, comprising Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, Justice Md. Shafiul Alam Mahmud, and Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, delivered the verdict on Sunday. This marks the disposal of the tribunal’s fifth case regarding the July uprising.
Three charges
Three specific charges were brought against the accused for violent incidents in Dhaka’s Banasree area on 19 July 2024.
The first charge states that Md Nadim Hossain was shot dead in the afternoon. The second charge details the critical wounding of Amir Hossain, who was shot while hanging from the sunshade of an under-construction building. The third charge involves a single devastating bullet that killed grandmother Maya Islam and passed directly through the head of her seven-year-old grandson, Basit Khan Musa.
‘Right verdict’
The prosecution expressed deep satisfaction with the verdict, saying that it delivered long-awaited justice to the victims’ families.
International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam termed it a “right verdict.”
He highlighted that former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman had issued wireless orders to shoot protesters in the legs, though police ultimately targeted chests and heads. Aminul confirmed that the accused officers’ gunfire killed Nadim Hossain and Maya Islam on 19 July. Furthermore, Chanchal Chandra Sarkar’s conviction was secured after he confessed to shooting Amir Hossain as he hung from an under-construction building’s sunshade.
‘Chanchal was unarmed’
Chanchal Chandra Sarkar’s lawyer Sarwar Jahan Nippon and brother Utpal Chandra Sarkar expressed deep dissatisfaction with the verdict, announcing plans to appeal against it. Nippon said Chanchal was unarmed on 19 July and on duty at the Bangladesh Television. He further argued that the tribunal wrongly relied on an “extra-judicial confession,” while ignoring several defence applications to review its validity.
Maintaining Chanchal’s innocence, the family said they did not receive justice from the tribunal.
Trial timeline
The trial progressed rapidly after the investigation agency submitted its report to the Chief Prosecutor on 31 July 2024. Prosecutor Faruk Ahammed filed the formal complaint on 7 August, and the tribunal initiated the trial on 18 September.
Although a verdict was initially slated for 4 March, the prosecution’s request to present new digital evidence reopened proceedings, requiring the first witness, Amir Hossain, to testify again. Ultimately, 13 prosecution witnesses testified.
Accused Chanchal Sarkar provided defence testimonies on 13 January and 10 June. During closing arguments, defence lawyer Sarwar Jahan Nippon maintained Chanchal’s absolute innocence, while Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam demanded maximum punishment for all five accused. On 15 June, the court scheduled the final verdict for 28 June.
