The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday ordered the commencement of trial proceedings against retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan by framing charges in a crimes against humanity case involving allegations of hundreds of disappearances and murders.
The tribunal also fixed February 8 for submission of the prosecution’s opening statement and the recording of witness testimony.
The order was passed by the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by its chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam, along with prosecutors Gazi MH Tamim and Shaikh Mahdi, represented the prosecution during the hearing, while senior lawyers Munsurul Haque Chowdhury and Nazneen Nahar appeared for the defence.
At the outset, the tribunal rejected the defence plea seeking exemption for Ziaul Ahsan. Tribunal member Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud then read out the three charges brought against the accused and asked whether he would plead guilty.
Standing in the dock, Ziaul Ahsan pleaded not guilty.
Following this, the tribunal formally framed the charges and ordered the trial to begin, setting a date for the prosecution’s opening statement and the examination of witnesses.
Earlier in the day, police produced Ziaul Ahsan before the tribunal from jail in a prison van under tight security. He has been behind bars for an extended period in connection with multiple cases.
On January 8, the defence opposed the three charges brought by the prosecution, arguing that Ziaul Ahsan had no involvement in the alleged incidents and seeking his acquittal. The prosecution concluded its hearing on framing charges on January 4, detailing what it described as the accused’s criminal activities and urging the tribunal to frame charges based on the available evidence.
According to the prosecution, three specific charges have been brought against Ziaul Ahsan. The first alleges that on the night of July 11, 2011, three people, including Sajal, were killed on the side of the Pubail road under Gazipur Sadar police station in his direct presence.
The second charge covers the period from 2010 to 2013, during which 50 people, including Nazrul and Mallik, were allegedly killed at the mouth of the Baleshwar River in Charduani Khalghena of Charduani Union under Patharghata upazila in Barguna.
The third charge also involves allegations of 50 killings during the same period, claiming that people, including Masud, were killed under the pretext of suppressing so-called forest robbers in different parts of the Sundarbans along the Baleshwar River in Barguna and in Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat.
Earlier, on December 23, Tribunal-1 ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Ziaul Ahsan in connection with the crimes against humanity case. The tribunal took the three charges into consideration on December 17, and the prosecution submitted the formal charge sheet the same day.
