The International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) on Tuesday accepted formal charges against 38 individuals, including former Rajshahi City Corporation mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, for alleged crimes against humanity committed in Rajshahi during the July mass uprising.
The tribunal issued arrest warrants for 34 absconding accused and ordered the authorities to produce four detained individuals, who are currently in custody, before the court. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for 17 September.
During the hearing, Prosecutor Zahirul Amin represented the prosecution, detailing the charges and presenting three video clips to the tribunal.
According to the prosecution, the video footage depicts the accused carrying weapons and firing shots.
The prosecution argued that primary evidence of the allegations had been established and petitioned the tribunal to accept the formal complaints, alongside requesting arrest warrants for the fugitives and production warrants for the detained accused. The tribunal subsequently granted the prosecution’s applications.
The four individuals facing production warrants are former member of parliament (MP) for the Rajshahi-3 constituency Md Asaduzzaman Asad, Dablu Sarkar, Johirul Islam Rubel, and Mohaiminul Islam Manik.
The 34 absconding individuals facing arrest warrants are AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Biplob Bijoy Talukdar, Humayun Kabir, Rocky Kumar Ghosh, Rashik Dutta, Bappi Chowdhury Roni, Mohidul Islam Mostofa, Khalid Hasan Biplob, Rashedul Karim Rozel, Mehedi Hasan alias Roni, Jedu Sarkar alias Jabedur Rahman, Abdul Hamid Sarkar alias Tekon, Anwar Hossain alias Anar, Arman Ali, Abdul Momin, Shahadat Hossain Shahu, Touhidul Haque Sumon, Mahtab Hossain Chowdhury, Alauddin alias Alal, Soriful Islam Babu, Md Nabil Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Rajeev, Forhad Hossain Biplob, Tourid Al Masud Roni, Mehedi Hasan Rimel alias Rigen, Ashraful Islam Jafar, Sukanta Kumar Das, Faisal Ahmed Runu, Nur Mohammad Siam, Asadullah-hil-Galib, Golam Kibria, Alal Parvez Lulu, Moniruzzaman Khan alias Monir, and Shafiquzzaman alias Shafiq.
Earlier on 30 July, the prosecution had submitted formal complaints against the 38 individuals to the International Crimes Tribunal, leading to the court’s order on Tuesday.
According to the prosecution’s case, on the afternoon of 5 August 2024, a protester named Rayhan Ali was shot and killed in the Shekherchak area under Boalia Police Station in Rajshahi metropolitan area. Around the same time, another victim, Anjum Sakib, was killed in front of Shah Makhdum College.
The complaint also notes that numerous other individuals, including Salman alias Shimul, sustained injuries during the violence. The prosecution has characterised these killings and acts of violence in Rajshahi during the July mass uprising as crimes against humanity.
