The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka has begun proceedings against 15 serving army officers accused in cases related to enforced disappearances and killings during the July mass uprising.
The officers were taken to the tribunal under an extensive security operation early Wednesday morning. They arrived at the court premises around 7:00am in a green air-conditioned prison bus escorted by heavily armed personnel from the Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh, and Bangladesh police.
Tribunal-1, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder along with two other judges, is overseeing the hearing. Defence lawyers have already filed three petitions, including a plea for bail and another seeking permission to keep the accused in a secured detention facility inside the cantonment throughout the trial period.
The accused are among 32 individuals, comprising 25 current and retired army officers, charged with crimes against humanity, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances allegedly conducted under the TFI-JIC Cell during the previous political administration. The tribunal is scheduled to begin reviewing the formal charges later in the day.
Witnesses and victims’ families have gathered near the tribunal, hoping for justice after years of silence surrounding the alleged crimes. Human rights observers have also attended the proceedings, terming it a crucial test for Bangladesh’s judicial accountability.
To avert possible unrest, law enforcement agencies have increased patrols and set up security checkpoints in key areas of the capital, including Paltan, Kakrail, and Motsya Bhaban. Roads around the tribunal remain partially restricted as the high-profile hearing continues amid heightened national attention.
