International Crimes Tribunal-1 has scheduled a hearing on July 1 regarding the charge framing against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and arrested former inspector general of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun in a case concerning crimes against humanity during the student-led mass uprising of July-August.
The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, set the date in response to a prosecution petition. The tribunal also ordered the appointment of state-appointed defence lawyers for the fugitive accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim represented the prosecution at today’s hearing.
Earlier, on June 16, the tribunal instructed that public notices be published in one Bengali and one English newspaper, summoning the two fugitives accused to appear before the court within seven days. These notices were published the following day, but the accused failed to appear, prompting the tribunal to fix a date for the charge hearing.
On June 1, the tribunal formally accepted the charges of crimes against humanity against Sheikh Hasina in connection with the July student uprising.
Along with Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were also charged with five counts of crimes against humanity.
The tribunal’s proceedings on that day were broadcast live on state television BTV.
Following the fall of the Awami League government amid the student uprising on August 5 last year, the International Crimes Tribunal was reconstituted. The first case filed in the newly formed tribunal was against Sheikh Hasina for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the mass protests.
In addition to this case, Sheikh Hasina is facing two other cases before the tribunal. One involves allegations of enforced disappearances and killings during her government’s 15 and a half years in power. The other case concerns the deaths during the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka’s Motijheel.
Numerous complaints were filed accusing the former Awami League government, its party cadres, loyal civil administration officials, and some members of law enforcement of committing genocide and crimes against humanity in an attempt to suppress the July-August uprising.
These grave allegations are now being tried before the International Crimes Tribunal.