Four accused, including Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Redwanul Islam and Major Md Rafat Bin Alam, have been indicted over the killing of 28 people in Dhaka’s Rampura during the July–August mass uprising.
The two arrested army officers were serving with the Border Guard Bangladesh at the time of the incident.
The order was passed on Wednesday by International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumder, which framed six charges and directed the trial to formally begin.
The tribunal also rejected defence petitions seeking acquittal of the accused.
Advocates Masud Salauddin and Hamidul Misbah appeared for the two arrested army officers, while state-appointed counsel Md Amir Hossain represented the two fugitive police officers, former additional deputy commissioner of police Md Rashedul Islam and former officer-in-charge Md Mashiur Rahman.
Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam appeared for the prosecution.
In a separate case, the tribunal has fixed 20 January for delivering the verdict against eight accused, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, over crimes against humanity in connection with the killing of six people during a peaceful student protest at Chankharpul on 5 August 2024.
The three-member bench, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumder, with Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired district and sessions judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as members, issued the order on Wednesday.
During the hearings, lawyer Md Ziaur Rashid represented accused police constable Imaz Hossain Imon, while state defence counsel Qutubuddin Ahmed argued on behalf of four absconding accused.
Prosecutor Mizanul Islam, assisted by prosecutors Shahidul Islam, Abdullah Al Noman, and others, placed counter-arguments for the prosecution.
Four accused, including former Shahbagh police inspector (operations) Md Arshad Hossain, constables Md Sujon Mia and Md Nasirul Islam, and Md Imaz Hossain Imon, are in custody and were produced before the tribunal under tight security.
The remaining four—former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, former joint commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakrabarty, former Ramna additional deputy commissioner Shah Alam Md Akhtarul Islam, and former assistant commissioner Md Imrul—remain absconding.
Charges were formally framed against all eight accused on 14 July this year, and the trial was ordered to proceed, with the prosecution arguing that the killings were carried out under direct instructions from the then DMP commissioner and seeking the maximum punishment.
Over 23 working days, the tribunal recorded statements from 26 witnesses, including chief investigating officer Md Monirul Islam, whose testimony was cross-examined by both sides.
The case stems from police gunfire on a peaceful student–public protest in the Chankharpul area on 5 August 2024, which left many people injured and killed six civilians—Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Junayed, Md Yakub, Md Rakib Howlader, Md Ismamul Haque and Manik Mia. The incident led to the filing of the crimes against humanity case.
On 20 April, the International Crimes Tribunal Investigation Agency submitted its investigation report to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office. It was the first investigation report into crimes against humanity committed during the July–August mass movement. The formal charges were filed on 25 May, which the tribunal accepted, and the trial formally began with the framing of charges on 14 July. Witness examination started on 11 August following the prosecution’s opening statement.
On 15 December, Prosecutor Mizanul Islam placed arguments on behalf of the prosecution, seeking the maximum punishment for the accused, while defence lawyers argued for their acquittal.
