The International Crimes Tribunal has scheduled the next hearing for Tuesday on charges against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 13 former and current army officers in a case of crimes against humanity at the Aynaghor cell during the Awami League’s long tenure.
The prosecution has concluded its hearing on framing formal charges and on Tuesday the tribunal will hear the state defence and the accused.
A three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1 bench, led by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, set the date on Sunday.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam represented the prosecution, detailing the disappearances and torture of individuals affiliated with anti-government factions at the Aynaghor cell.
He highlighted the abduction of 26 people between October 22, 2015, and August 5, 2024. The chief prosecutor filed five charges and requested the tribunal to frame charges or commence the trial against the 13 accused.
The state defence and three arrested accused requested time, and the tribunal fixed December 9 for the hearing. Advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu appeared on behalf of the three present accused.
Among the 13 arrested, three are army officers. They were produced under tight security from the special prison in Dhaka Cantonment on Sunday morning. The officers are former DGFI Director Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, and Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Mazahar Siddiqui.
The prosecution filed a formal complaint against the 13 accused on October 8. The court later took the complaint into consideration and issued arrest warrants. On October 22, the three army officers in custody were presented before the tribunal, which ordered their arrest and jail remand. Notices for the absconding accused were also ordered to be published in two national newspapers within seven days.
November 23 was set for the hearing on framing charges, with the tribunal appointing state defence for the absconding accused. Senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna initially represented Sheikh Hasina voluntarily but withdrew on December 3 due to health reasons. Md Amir Hossain was subsequently appointed as her counsel.
