The International Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday issued warrants for the arrest of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her security adviser Major Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and 28 others in two separate cases filed over enforced disappearances during the Awami League government’s tenure.
A three-member bench of the International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, accepted the charges and issued arrest warrants.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam appeared before the International Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday, representing the prosecution in cases related to enforced disappearances during the Awami League government.
He detailed the instances in which individuals with differing political views, as well as cultural figures, writers, and journalists, were abducted and tortured in secret detention centers.
After the hearing, the prosecution requested the tribunal to take cognizance of two enforced disappearance complaints, which the tribunal accepted, subsequently issuing arrest warrants against the accused.
In one of the two cases of crimes against humanity related to enforced disappearances, the accused, apart from former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, include Major General (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former IGP Benazir Ahmed, former RAB DG M Khurshid Hossain, former RAB director general Harunor Rashid, Colonel Anwar Latif Khan, Brigadier General Jahangir Alam, Tofail Mostafa Sarwar, RAB officer KM Azad, Brigadier General Kamrul Hasan, Mahbub Alam, Abdullah Al Momen, Sarwar Bin Kashem, Khairul Islam, Moshiur Rahman Jewel, and Saiful Islam Sumon.
They face five charges of crimes against humanity, including abduction, torture, and enforced disappearance at the RAB-run Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) Cell.
In a separate case concerning disappearances at the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC), 13 individuals, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, have been accused of crimes against humanity related to enforced disappearances.
The other accused are major general (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former DGFI DG Lt General (Retd) Mohammad Akbar Hossain, former DG Major General (Retd) Saiful Abedin, Lt General (Retd) Md Saiful Alam, former DG Lt General Tabrez Shams Chowdhury, former DG Major General (Retd) Hamidul Haque, Major General Touhidul Islam, Major General Sarwar Hossain, Major General Kabir Ahmad, Brigadier General Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Majhar Siddiqui, and Lt Colonel (Retd) Maksurul Haque.
Among them, four military officers are still in service, though Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam stated that under the amended International Crimes Tribunal law, they cannot hold any official position while facing these charges.
Between 2009 and 2024, hundreds of people were subjected to enforced disappearances under the Awami League government, with many still missing and some allegedly killed and disappeared without trace.
Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 last year, several survivors, including Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman and Abdullahil Amaan Azmi were released from detention.
The two cases of enforced disappearance were filed at the International Crimes Tribunal based on complaints from these victims.