The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has ordered the former mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Md Atiqul Islam, along with five Awami League leaders, to be shown as arrested and kept in jail in connection with crimes committed during the July-August uprising.
The tribunal bench, led by its chairman, Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, issued the order on Monday.
Prosecutors Md Mizanul Islam, Gazi MH Tamim, and BMM Sultan Mahmud represented the prosecution in court.
According to prosecutor Md Mizanul Islam, Atiqul Islam and five others were presented before the tribunal in connection with the killing of over 200 students and civilians in Dhaka North during the uprising.
Md Mizanul Islam further said that 16 cases have been filed against them in different police stations. Preliminary allegations suggest that during the July-August period, over 200 unarmed civilians and students were killed in Dhaka North.
The accused are suspected of obstructing medical treatment, aiding armed groups such as the helmet-wearing gang and members of Chhatra League and Jubo League, and actively participating in crimes against humanity. The investigation office has gathered evidence in support of these allegations.
Apart from Atiqul Islam, the five Awami League leaders facing similar charges include Md Shahinur Mia, education affairs secretary of Uttara East Thana Awami League, monowar Islam Chowdhury, president of Uttara West Thana Awami League, Abdullah Al Mamun, organizational secretary of Gazipur Metropolitan Awami League, Md Bashir Uddin, president of Uttara Sector 6 Awami League, and Delwar Hossain, president of Jubo League, Ward No 1, Dhaka Metropolitan North.
All six individuals were already in custody for various cases related to the July uprising. Atiqul Islam is in prison for a case filed at the tribunal regarding crimes against humanity in Uttara, Dhaka, while the others were arrested in cases filed at different police stations.
