National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam has stated that on August 4 of last year, even before the government fell on August 5 amid mass movements, Muhammad Yunus was proposed to assume the role of the new head of government.
Nahid Islam made these remarks in his testimony in the case filed against Sheikh Hasina and two other accused for crimes against humanity during the July uprising. Nahid testified for a second time on Thursday as the 47th witness in the International Crimes Tribunal-1.
When the movement sparked by quota reforms turned into a mass uprising, the Awami League-led government under Sheikh Hasina fell on August 5 last year. That day, Sheikh Hasina relinquished power and fled to India, leaving the country without a government. Subsequently, on August 8, an interim government was sworn in under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Yunus took the oath on the same day after returning from France.
In his testimony, Nahid Islam, who was one of the leaders of the July uprising, stated that, on August 4 last year, he had participated in a sit-in and protest programme. That day, a “March to Dhaka” programme was announced for August 6.
However, it was learnt that the government had made extensive preparations to foil this programme, with mobile networks and the internet to be shut down. Killings and enforced disappearances might also occur. Therefore, the programme was rescheduled to August 5, one day earlier.
Nahid Islam mentioned in his testimony that Mahfuj Alam, who currently serves as the adviser for Information and Broadcasting, was liaising with other student organisations and civil society on behalf of the coordinators to ensure the success of the “March to Dhaka” programme. He said that, as part of preliminary preparations, they held discussions with Muhammad Yunus about forming a new government. On August 4, it was proposed that Yunus would assume the role of the new head of government.
Nahid Islam stated that on August 5, he received news of killings and atrocities in Dhaka and across the country. He held Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and the heads of law enforcement agencies, including the police, responsible for these incidents.
They participated in the genocide and atrocities, he said.
Nahid testified before the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumdar.
Amir Hossain, the state-appointed lawyer, represented the fugitives Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in court. Lawyer Zayed bin Amjad represented former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who was arrested in the case and later became a state witness.
On July 10, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 framed charges and ordered the start of the trial in this crimes against humanity case against Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
