Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has called for the trial of members of different forces, including the police, who were involved in the enforced disappearances and torture during the Awami League regime, particularly in connection with the July Uprising.
Urging the government to ensure justice for all, he emphasised that no criminal should be allowed to escape justice just because they belong to a particular force.
Nahid made these remarks to the press on Wednesday after testifying in the International Crimes Tribunal-1 regarding the crimes committed during the 2024 July Uprising.
He pointed out, “While we are politically bringing Sheikh Hasina and her party leaders to trial, we also want the police, military, and other forces involved in the July Uprising and the enforced disappearances to be held accountable.
“No one should be able to escape justice simply because they are a member of a particular force. This must be made clear to us.”
Nahid also raised allegations against the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).
He said, “We have received many complaints about the disappearances. I personally filed a complaint against DGFI officers who abducted and harassed me. There are also military officers and DGFI personnel who were involved in negative roles during the July Uprising, who have not been arrested yet.
“For instance, you saw a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officer involved in the Rampura-Badda incident, and they are still not being arrested.”
Nahid appealed to the tribunal, courts, and the government to ensure justice for the perpetrators of these crimes, regardless of their affiliation with any force.
“We request that all criminals, regardless of their affiliation, be brought to justice. Those who have killed, disappeared, or tortured people, and helped the government establish a fascist regime, must be arrested quickly and prosecuted,” he added.
In his testimony, Nahid Islam primarily focused on the events of 18 and 19 July of 2024.
When asked about what he described during his testimony, he explained, “We spoke about incidents like the attack on a funeral procession, forcible eviction from university halls, and the nationwide shutdown on 18 July, which called on students to rise up.
“We also discussed how the DGFI exerted pressure on us, the role of the police, the Chhatra League, other forces, and the political leaders of the Awami League during the movement. These are the events we witnessed during the movement.”
‘Indiscriminately firing on students and civilians’
During the protests, Nahid accused the police of indiscriminately firing on students and civilians across the country.
He said, “On July 18 and 19, in addition to the police, Chhatra League and Awami League thugs joined in the violence. Many students and civilians were martyred or injured in those shootings, and we have highlighted these incidents.”
When asked why he had lost faith in the judiciary during the movement, Nahid explained the position of the movement, saying, “It was clear to us that the Awami League government is fascist and autocratic.
“They were consolidating power by stripping away people’s voting rights. They had politicized all institutions and were using them for their party’s interests. It was clear to us that this was not a judicial issue, but a political one.”
He continued, “From 2018 onwards, we saw that neither the government nor Sheikh Hasina wanted the quota reforms. Under pressure, they had to announce it, but their plan was to reverse it once they got the chance, which we saw after the 2024 elections.
“So, this was not a court matter; it was a political issue.”
Nahid further added, “That’s why we never trusted the judiciary. We didn’t go to court, nor did we make any comments about the judicial process. We saw this as an executive matter.”
When asked about his expectations from the tribunal, Nahid said, “We expect justice. So many of our brothers and sisters have been martyred, wounded, and shed blood. We hope we will all receive justice, and those responsible for these killings, including the Awami League and police, will face trial.
“They will be punished, and this justice will serve as an example, not just for Bangladesh, but for the entire world. It will show the consequences for anyone trying to establish a fascist regime and attack the people.”
Following the July-August 2024 student uprising, repeated allegations have been made against the Awami League regime, its party cadres, and security forces for committing genocide and crimes against humanity.
The trials for these crimes are ongoing in two international crimes tribunals.
