The International Crimes Tribunal has set January 21 to pass an order on the framing of charges against Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
The date was fixed on Thursday by the International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder.
Defence lawyers presented arguments on behalf of the accused. Advocate Liton Ahmed represented Palak, while state-appointed counsel Manjur Alam appeared for Joy.
During the hearing, defence lawyers opposed the three charges brought by the prosecution, claiming that neither Joy nor Palak had any involvement in the alleged offences. They sought the discharge of both accused and requested that no charges be framed. Conversely, the prosecution prayed for formal charges to be framed against both Joy and Palak.
Following the hearing, the tribunal fixed January 21 for its order on the matter.
Earlier, on January 11, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam presented arguments in favour of framing charges. On that day, he read out the three charges and applied for the commencement of trial proceedings against the two accused. The tribunal subsequently heard statements from the defence.
The three charges allege that, on the instructions of Joy, Palak incited violence through Facebook on the night of July 14, 2024. As a result, on July 15, police, along with armed members of the Awami League and Chhatra League, allegedly attacked protesters at Dhaka University and other locations.
The charges further allege that the accused instigated and facilitated the use of lethal weapons by shutting down the internet, thereby aiding acts of killing. As a result of these attacks, 28 people, including Russell and Mosleh Uddin, were killed. The third charge alleges their involvement in aiding 34 killings in Uttara.
In connection with these incidents, the tribunal on December 10 ordered the publication of notices in two national newspapers directing Joy to surrender, as he was absconding. Palak, who was already under arrest, was produced before the tribunal on the same day.
On December 4, the tribunal took cognisance of the formal charges submitted by the prosecution.
