The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 on Sunday set December 3 and 7 for holding hearings respectively in two cases filed over enforced disappearances and torture at the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) Cell and the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the tenure of the past Awami League government.
The two-member tribunal, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the order, following the plea of the prosecution.
Of the two cases, December 3 has been set to hold the hearing on charge framing in the case lodged over enforced disappearances and torture at the TFI Cell, while the indictment hearing in the case regarding crimes at JIC will be held on December 7.
The court also appointed senior advocate ZI Khan Panna to defend ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in both cases.
The court came up with the orders in the presence of 13 of the total 30 accused in both cases. The 13 accused are officials of the Bangladesh Army.
The accused, who were produced before the court for Sunday's hearings, are: Md Jahangir Alam, Tofail Mostafa Sarwar, Md Kamrul Hasan, Md Mahabub Alam, KM Azad, Abdullah Al Momen, Md Mashiur Rahman Jewel, Saiful Islam Sumon, Md Sarwar Bin Kashem, Anwar Latif Khan, Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui and Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqui.
On October 22, ICT-1 sent the 13 accused, along with two others, Mohammads Redwanul Islam and Rafat Bin Alam, who are charged in a separate crimes against humanity case, to jail.
The three-member tribunal, headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, also ordered the publication of notices in one English and one Bengali newspaper directing the fugitive accused in the three cases to appear before the court.
Earlier, on October 8, the ICT-1 took cognisance of charges against 30 accused, including the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in two cases related to enforced disappearances and torture.
In one case, the prosecution brought five charges against 13 people, including Sheikh Hasina and her former security and defence adviser, Tarique Ahmed Siddique, over crimes committed at the JIC.
Another five charges were brought against 17 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Tarique Ahmed Siddique, over crimes committed at the TFI Cell.
