In the case concerning crimes against humanity — including mass killings and torture — committed during Hefazat-e-Islam’s rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka’s Motijheel area on May 5, 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal has ordered the investigation agency to submit its report within two months against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other accused individuals.
The tribunal has also scheduled the next hearing for January 12.
The order was given by Justice (Retd) Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, a member of Tribunal-1, sitting as a single bench on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim represented the prosecution during the hearing. He presented the progress of the investigation and requested an additional two months to complete it. The tribunal accepted the request and set a new date for submission.
A total of 21 people, including Sheikh Hasina, have been named as accused in this case. Among them, four have been arrested and were produced before the tribunal by police.
Those currently in custody include - former state minister for home affairs Shamsul Hoque Tuku, former army major general Ziaul Ahsan, former inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque, and former deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Molla Nazrul Islam.
Earlier, on August 12, the tribunal had fixed Wednesday as the deadline for submitting the investigation report. The order was given by a three-member panel headed by Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder. As the investigation remained incomplete, the deadline has now been extended again.
Background
The case stems from allegations filed by Azizul Haque, a Hefazat-e-Islam leader, with the chief prosecutor of the tribunal. He lodged the complaint on behalf of Hefazat leaders Junaid Al Habib and Maulana Mamunul Haque, accusing 21 individuals of committing crimes against humanity during the operation at Shapla Chattar on May 5, 2013.
The accused include former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former general secretary Obaidul Quader, former minister Rashed Khan Menon, former mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, former minister Hasan Mahmud, former member of Parliament Haji Selim, former prime minister’s adviser Salman F Rahman, former member of Parliament from Narayanganj Shamim Osman, former prime minister’s adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque, former IGP Benazir Ahmed, former additional director general of RAB Ziaul Ahmed, former additional commissioner (DB) of DMP Harun-ur-Rashid, former deputy commissioner of DMP Biplob Kumar Sarker, President of the Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee Shahriar Kabir, Committee Member Professor Muntassir Mamoon, former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Tureen Afroz, spokesperson of Gonojagoron Mancha Imran H Sarker, former CEO of Ekattor TV Mozammel Haque Babu, former managing director and CEO of Somoy TV Ahmed Zubair, Editor of abnews24.com Subhash Singh Roy, former press secretary to the Prime Minister Nayeemul Islam Khan, former Chief of Army Staff Aziz Ahmed, and NSI official Md Manzur Ahmed.