Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was placed in his custody for several days during Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s military rule in 1983, retired Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Azmi stated during cross-examination at the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Monday.
Azmi was being cross-examined by lawyer Azizur Rahman Dulu in a crimes against humanity case related to enforced disappearances and torture at the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) run by the Directorate General of Defence Intelligence (DGFI).
During cross-examination, Azmi was asked whether he had ever met the ousted former prime minister. In response, he said, “I met Sheikh Hasina several times in 1983. During Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s military rule, I lived with my company in a house on Hare Road. At that time, Sheikh Hasina, Matia Chowdhury, and Sahara Khatun were in my custody for a few days.”
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 12 current and former army officers have been named accused in the case, with the beginning last year on 18 December with the framing of charges.
The accused in the JIC enforced disappearance case include Sheikh Hasina, along with several retired major generals, lieutenant generals, and brigadier generals.
Among the 13 accused, three — Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqui, and Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain — have been arrested so far.
