The prosecution on Thursday concluded its hearing seeking the framing of formal charges against 41 accused, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in the crimes against humanity case over the killings surrounding Hefazat-e-Islam's grand rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, Dhaka, on May 5, 2013.
The hearing was held before a 3-member judicial panel led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, chairman of International Crimes Tribunal-2.
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam presented arguments on behalf of the prosecution. He read out the separate formal charges brought against the 41 accused and outlined various aspects of the Awami League government's rule, explaining the background of the case.
He also described during the hearing how Sheikh Hasina became an autocratic ruler. At the end of the hearing, Aminul Islam sought an order to frame formal charges against the accused and begin the trial.
Later, the tribunal fixed November 16 for the defense to present its arguments.
Among the 11 arrested accused in the case are Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad) President and former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu, then state minister for home affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, then food minister Dr Abdul Razzaque, former minister Dr Dipu Moni, former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, former inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque, Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, former deputy inspector general (DIG) Abdul Jalil Mondol, Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriar Kabir, Ekattor TV Managing Director Mozammel Haque Babu and journalist Farzana Rupa.
Among the absconding accused, including Sheikh Hasina, are then home minister Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Awami League Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, then information minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, former state minister Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, then Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury, former member of parliament Salahuddin Mahmud, Gonojagoron Mancha Convener and Spokesperson Dr Imran H Sarker, former IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary, Benazir Ahmed, former army chief General Aziz Ahmed, along with senior former police officials.
Earlier, November 1 had been fixed for the hearing on framing formal charges in the case. However, the hearing was not held that day as former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, one of the 11 arrested accused, could not appear before the tribunal due to illness.
The tribunal subsequently fixed November 12 as the new date for the hearing. As part of that process, the prosecution completed its hearing on Thursday.
On July 27, Tribunal-2 took cognizance of the formal charges submitted by the prosecution against the 41 accused. At the same time, arrest warrants were issued against the absconding accused, and orders were given to produce the arrested accused before the tribunal.
Subsequently, on September 3, the tribunal ordered the publication of notices in 2 national daily newspapers directing 30 accused, including Sheikh Hasina, to surrender.
The law enforcement agencies submitted non-execution reports (NERs) to the prosecution, stating that the accused could not be found despite visits to their permanent and temporary addresses.
Later, on September 16, as the 30 accused had not surrendered, the tribunal declared them absconding and ordered the appointment of lawyers at government expense.
A total of 2 charges have been brought in the case. The first concerns the killing of 32 people at Shapla Chattar in the capital on May 5, 2013, while the second relates to killings in different parts of the country, including the killing of 20 people in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, on May 6.
