Fifteen current and former army officers, accused of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, were moved to a temporary sub-jail inside Dhaka Cantonment after appearing before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on Wednesday noon.
The officers, who were in the custody of the Bangladesh Army, were brought to the tribunal under tight security at around 7am.
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), and police maintained tight security around the court. The accused were transported in a green, air-conditioned prison van under heavy protection.
Defence counsel Barrister M Sarwar Hossain confirmed that the officers have been moved to a designated jail facility inside the cantonment.
The government had earlier declared MES Building No. 54, located north of Bashar Road, as a temporary jail under the provisions of the Prisoners Act, 1984. A gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 12 October formally outlined this designation.
The officers include Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossen; Brigadier Generals Md Jahangir Alam, Tofayel Mostofa Sarwar, Md Qamrul Hasan, Md Mahbub Alam, Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddique, and Ahmed Tanvir Majahar Siddique; Colonels Anowar Latif Khan, AKM Azad, Abdullah Al Momen, and Md Sarwar Bin Kashem; Lieutenant Colonels Md Moshiur Rahman Jewel, Saiful Islam Sumon, and Mohammad Redowanul Islam; and Major Rafat Bin Alam Moon.
They are among a total of 32 individuals, including 25 military officers, both serving and retired, who face charges of crimes against humanity, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances allegedly committed under the operations of the TFI-JIC (Taskforce for Interrogation – Joint Interrogation Cell) during a previous political administration.
The hearing was conducted by ICT-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, along with two other judges.
During the proceedings, defence lawyers submitted three petitions, including a request for bail and another seeking continued detention of the accused within the secured cantonment facility during the trial. The tribunal is set to begin formal review of the charges later in the day.
Family members of the victims and witnesses gathered near the tribunal, with many expressing cautious hope for long-awaited justice. Human rights observers were also present, calling the case an important test of Bangladesh’s commitment to justice and the rule of law.
Security has been increased in key areas of the capital, including Paltan, Kakrail, and Motsya Bhaban, to prevent possible unrest. Police have also partially restricted traffic around the tribunal as the high-profile case continues under intense national and international attention.
