Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in her attempts to suppress the anti-discrimination student movement, instructed law enforcement to identify protesters with drones, use lethal weapons, and to drop bombs on them from helicopters. Special investigation officer and prosecutor Tanvir Hassan Zoha revealed this information during his testimony on Wednesday at the International Crimes Tribunal.
In the case concerning crimes against humanity committed surrounding the anti-discrimination student movement in July–August, the tribunal recorded testimony against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and one other person.
His testimony began at International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder.
Tanvir Zoha said, “During the uprising, I collected various video and audio records surrounding the movement. Among these, in several phone calls, I identified the voices of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former minister and Jasad leader Hasanul Haq Inu.”
“Reviewing these phone calls, it was discovered that the former prime minister had instructed law enforcement to use ‘lethal weapons’ and to open fire directly to suppress the anti-discrimination student movement,” he said.
Prosecutor Zoha further said, “In addition, Sheikh Hasina instructed law enforcement to identify the protesters’ positions using drones and to drop bombs on them from helicopters.”
He also accused Sheikh Hasina of being responsible for shutting down the internet during the movement.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and other prosecutors were present at the tribunal.
In this case, along with other witnesses, Daily Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman and National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam gave their statements to the tribunal.
Additionally, two others testified as seizure-list witnesses. They are Md Kamrul Hossain, in charge of records and library at the International Crimes Tribunal’s investigation agency, and Anisur Rahman. They were cross-examined by state lawyers. Also, as the 49th witness, martyr Mahmudur Rahman Soikot’s sister Sabrina Afroz Sebonti gave her statement.
On 10 July, during the mass uprising, former inspector general of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun admitted responsibility for crimes against humanity. Later, he was made a state witness in the case.
