Following the prosecution's completion of its hearing on charge framing in the crimes against humanity case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, the court has scheduled July 7 for the defense hearing.
The order was issued on Tuesday by Tribunal-1 of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), led by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder and comprising three members, reports Bangla Tribune.
Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam represented the prosecution at the tribunal.
Government-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain appeared for Hasina and Asaduzzaman, while lawyer Zayed Bin Amjad represented Al-Mamun.
Earlier, the tribunal had set Tuesday as the date for the charge framing hearing against Hasina, Asaduzzaman, and Al-Mamun in a case related to the mass killings committed during July–August, which are considered crimes against humanity.
On June 16, the tribunal ordered that public notices be published in two newspapers summoning Hasina and Asaduzzaman to appear in court within one week.
The next hearing was then scheduled for June 24.
On June 17, the ICT issued a notice directing both Hasina and Asaduzzaman to surrender.
The notices were duly published in the newspapers, and it was stated that if they failed to appear within seven days of the publication, the trial would proceed in their absence.
The order was issued by the three-member tribunal chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder.
One of the accused, Al-Mamun, was present in court.
On June 1, the tribunal took cognizance of five charges against Hasina, Asaduzzaman, and Al-Mamun.
On the same day, fresh arrest warrants were issued against Hasina and Asaduzzaman in the case.
Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam, along with prosecutors Abdus Sobhan Tarafdar and Mizanul Islam, read out the charges against the three accused in court on June 1, which were permitted to be broadcast across all media platforms.
The trial at the ICT is ongoing against the accused, including Hasina, for their alleged roles as planners and issuers of orders to open fire on students and civilians during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
