The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has fixed 14 December for delivering its order on whether charges will be framed against 13 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in a case concerning alleged enforced disappearances and torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the previous Awami League government.
The date was set after both prosecution and defence completed their submissions before the three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumder. The bench includes Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Justice Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam argued in favour of framing charges, while defence lawyers sought the discharge of the accused.
The prosecution has brought five charges relating to alleged incidents of enforced disappearance and torture.
Three accused Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Mazahar Siddiqui, Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, and Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, were produced before the tribunal. The remaining ten accused are reportedly absconding.
On 8 October, the tribunal took cognisance of charges against 30 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina, in two separate cases involving alleged enforced disappearances and torture at the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) Cell and the JIC.
In the JIC case, 13 accused include Sheikh Hasina; former security and defence adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique; Md Akbar Hossain; Md Saiful Abedin; Md Saiful Alam; Md Tabrej Shams Chowdhury; Hamidul Haque; Mohammad Touhidul Islam; Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain; Kabir Ahammed; Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui; Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqui; and Mokhchurul Haque.
In the TFI cell case, the 17 accused include Sheikh Hasina and Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Benazir Ahmed, M Khurshid Hossain, Barrister Md Harun Ur Rashid, Anwar Latif Khan, Md Jahangir Alam, Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, KM Azad, Md Qamrul Hasan, Md Mahabub Alam, Abdullah Al Momen, Md Sarwar Bin Qashem, Md Khairul Islam, Md Moshiur Rahman Jewel and Saiful Islam Suman.
