The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has set 18 December to issue an order on framing charges in a case over enforced disappearances at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC).
Furthermore, 21 December has been scheduled for issuing orders on framing charges in both the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) Cell disappearance case and the Rampura murder case.
On Sunday, hearings took place at the International Crimes Tribunal-1 concerning the three cases involving charges of crimes against humanity related to enforced disappearances and killings.
In the morning, 15 army officers were produced before the tribunal from the special prison located at the Dhaka Cantonment.
Following the hearings, the three-member bench of the ICT-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, set separate dates for issuing charge framing orders in each case.
Additionally, one of the hearings concerns the framing of charges against four persons, including two army officers, in the incident of 28 murders in Rampura, Dhaka.
Another hearing is regarding the enforced disappearance case at the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) Cell against 17people including Sheikh Hasina and 10 military officers.
In the enforced disappearance case at the JIC, the hearings for the prosecution and the defence have already concluded.
Earlier, it was revealed that those who were detained in connection with these three cases will be present during Sunday’s hearings before the tribunal.
Among the 17 accused in the TFI cell enforced disappearance case, all ten individuals currently in police custody are army officers. They are Colonel Anwar Latif Khan, Colonel Md Jahangir Alam, Colonel Tofayel Mustafa Sorwar, Colonel KM Azad, Colonel Md Kamrul Hasan, Colonel Md Mahbub Alam, Colonel Abdullah Al Momen, Lieutenant Colonel Md Sarwar Bin Kashem, Lieutenant Colonel Moshiur Rahman Jewel, and Lieutenant Colonel Saiful Islam Sumon.
The seven absconding are deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former IGP Benazir Ahmed, former additional IGP M Khurshid Hossain, former additional IGP Barrister Md. Harun-Ar-Rashid, and Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Khairul Islam.
Furthermore, there are 13 accused in the JIC enforced disappearance case: Sheikh Hasina, Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Lieutenant General (retd) Md Akbar Hossain, Major General (retd) Md Saiful Abedin, Lieutenant General (retd) Md Saiful Alam, Lieutenant General (retd) Ahmed Tabrez Shams Chowdhury, Major General (retd) Hamidul Haque, Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Mokhlesur Rahman Haque, Major General (retd) Mohammad Towhidul Islam, Major General Kabir Ahmad, Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddique, and Brigadier General Ahmed Tanveer Mazhar Siddique.
Among them, the last three have been arrested. Excluding Sheikh Hasina and Tarique Ahmed Siddique – who stand accused in both these cases – the total number of accused stands at 28.
Among the four accused in the Rampura massacre case, the arrested Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Redwanul Islam and Major Md Rafat-Bin-Alam were serving in Borger Guard Bangladesh at the time of the incident.
The remaining two accused, former additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of police, Md Rashedul Islam and former OC Md Mashiur Rahman, are absconding.
