Ten ousted army officers were produced before the International Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday in a crimes against humanity case linked to the alleged disappearance and torture of individuals with opposing political views at the Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell during a previous Awami League government.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 17 others have been named as accused in the case.
The officers were brought to the tribunal at 10:23am from the special prison inside Dhaka Cantonment in an air-conditioned green Bangladesh Jail van.
The 10 officers are former RAB additional director general Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, Brig Gen Tofail Mostafa Sarwar, Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan, Brig Gen Md Mahabub Alam, Col KM Azad, Col Abdullah Al Momen, Col Anwar Latif Khan (on retirement leave), former RAB intelligence director Col Md Mashiur Rahman, Lt Col Saiful Islam Sumon and Lt Col Md Sarwar Bin Kashem.
The absconding accused include former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her former defence adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddique, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former IGP Benazir Ahmed, former RAB DG M Khurshid Hossain and former RAB DG Barrister Harun-or-Rashid.
As scheduled, the tribunal will hold a hearing today on the framing of formal charges against the 18 accused. The prosecution will place its arguments before the three-member panel led by Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder after 11am, followed by submissions from defence counsel. State-appointed defence lawyers will represent the absconding accused.
Meanwhile, strict security measures were in place at the High Court premises, as seen on previous dates when the officers were brought to the tribunal. BGB, RAB and additional police personnel were deployed on both sides of the tribunal gate, while plainclothes officers from intelligence agencies, including APBn, were also present.