The father of slain student Farhan Faiyaz on Wednesday became the first prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case over killings during the July 2024 uprising, telling the International Crimes Tribunal that his son’s death helped ignite nationwide outrage and demanding the maximum punishment for all those accused.
Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan, father of the Dhaka Residential Model College student, testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1 and recounted how Farhan was shot dead in Dhanmondi on July 18, 2024, during the quota reform movement.
After describing the circumstances of the killing, he urged the tribunal to hand down the highest punishment to all accused, including former ministers Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Fazle Noor Taposh.
The testimony was recorded by a two-member bench led by Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud, marking the start of witness hearings in one of the tribunal’s most closely watched cases linked to the July uprising.
According to the prosecution, Farhan’s killing became one of the defining incidents of the movement, triggering widespread anger among students and helping fuel protests that quickly spread across the country.
The case names 28 accused, including former political leaders, police officials and activists allegedly involved in attacks on protesters in Mohammadpur during July 18-19 last year.
Of them, four accused -- banned Chhatra League Mohammadpur unit president Naimul Hasan Russell and vice-presidents Sajjad Hossain, Omar Faruk and Fazle Rabbi -- are currently in custody and standing trial.
The remaining accused, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, former additional DIG Proloy Kumar Joarder, former DMP joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar and several other police and political figures, remain absconding.
On May 10, the tribunal framed three charges against the 28 accused and ordered the trial to proceed. The four detained accused pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors allege that members of the Awami League, Chhatra League and law enforcement agencies carried out coordinated attacks on demonstrators during the student-led movement. They claim that students and civilians were fired upon under the direct or indirect instruction and involvement of the accused.
The prosecution says the attacks left at least nine people dead, including Farhan Faiyaz and Mahmudur Rahman Saikat, and injured many others.
With the first witness now heard, the tribunal has formally entered the evidentiary stage of a case that prosecutors argue represents one of the most significant incidents of the July 2024 uprising.