Police fired indiscriminately like rain from an armoured personnel carrier (APC) at Jatrabari in Dhaka on 20 July 2024, during which Imam Hasan Tayim Bhuiyan was dragged out of a tea shop in Kazla where he had taken shelter and shot dead, the prosecution told the International Crimes Tribunal-2.
Presenting closing arguments on Monday against 11 accused, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, Prosecutors Mizanul Islam and Farooq Ahammad described Tayim’s murder as part of widespread and systematic crimes against humanity committed across the country during the July mass uprising.
Citing the deposition of the first witness, the prosecution said hundreds of police personnel were deployed in Jatrabari area on 20 July as bullets were rained down from an APC.
Seeing the situation, Tayim and his friends went to take tea at a shop in Kazla, on the eastern side of Jatrabari.
Shortly afterwards, 25 to 30 police personnel gathered near the establishment, prompting Tayim and his friends to pull down the shop’s shutter.
At that time, some police officers remarked, “Let’s crossfire them,” and demanded that the shutter be opened. Although those inside did not open it, police forced the shutter open and dragged Tayim out.
According to witness testimony presented to the court, a police officer shot Tayim in his left leg and near his waist, while police also looted various items from the shop, including cigarettes valued at Tk25,000.
Tayim’s friend and case witness, Shahriar, attempted to take him to the hospital, but police blocked him, warning: “Do you want to die or go? Don’t look back, run!”
The prosecution submitted that former Jatrabari Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Zakir Hossain, Inspector (Operation) Ohidul Haque Mamun, and Sub-Inspector (SI) (Unarmed) Sajjad Uz Zaman were directly involved in Tayim’s killing.
Video footage of two officers and a photograph of one were displayed in court showing them opening fire, while another protester attempting to flee was also seen being shot.
The court was also shown video footage of Tayim being shot, a still image of Sajjad, and a video clip of a conversation between former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Deputy Commissioner (DC) Iqbal Hossain.
In the recording, the DC was heard saying: “Sir, I fire one bullet, one goes, the rest don’t go, sir.”
Highlighting eyewitness testimonies from Rahat, Liton, and Shahriar, the prosecution noted that all three accounts were consistent. According to their depositions, Zakir fired 196 rounds of ammunition, while Mamun discharged two rounds from his pistol on 20 July.
Tayim’s father, police Sub-Inspector (SI) Moinal Hossain Bhuiyan, said police killed his son on 20 July 2024 by shooting him at point-blank range in Kazla area. His friend Rahat was also shot when he stepped forward to save Taim.
Of the 11 accused in the case, two have been arrested: former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jatrabari Police Station Abul Hasan and former SI Shahdat Ali.
The remaining nine accused are currently absconding.
They are former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Wari Zone DC Iqbal Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Shakil Mohammad Shamim, former Demra Zone ADC Md Masudur Rahman Monir, former Assistant Commissioner of Police Nahid Ferdous, former Inspector (Investigation) Zakir Hossain, Inspector (Operation) Ohidul Haq Mamun, and SI (Unarmed) Sajjad Uz Zaman.
The International Crimes Tribunal previously framed charges against all 11 accused on 22 February.
