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Enforced Disappearances

ICT issues arrest warrants against Hasina, Tarique  Siddique, a few others

Published : Tuesday, 7 January, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 396
The International Crimes Tribunal on Monday issued arrest warrants against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her former security adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, former defence officer Major General Ziaul Ahsan, and eight others for their alleged involvement in enforced disappearances.

The tribunal, comprising Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood, and retired district judge Md Mohitul Haq Anam Chowdhury, issued the warrants following a petition from the chief prosecutor.

The prosecution has been directed to report back to the tribunal by February 12 on the execution status of the warrants.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been ordered to arrest the 12 individuals and produce them before the tribunal on February 12.

Apart from Hasina, Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former defence adviser to the ousted prime minister, and former IGP Benazir Ahmed are among the others, who were members of different law enforcement agencies, now wanted over complaints of enforced disappearance and Ziaul Ahsan, who has already in custody at Dhaka Central Jail in connection with a crimes against humanity case related to the July-August massacres.

This development follows an earlier warrant issued against Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5, 2024, during the student-people uprising. The earlier charges against her included crimes against humanity and genocide committed during the July-August period.

The commission of inquiry into enforced disappearances, in its first interim report submitted to the interim government's chief adviser on December 14, 2024, stated that there is prima facie evidence linking Sheikh Hasina and senior officials from her administration, including Tarique Ahmed Siddique, to orchestrating incidents of enforced disappearances.

The commission reported receiving 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances, of which 758 complaints were scrutinised. It estimated that the total number of victims of enforced disappearances might exceed 3,500.

Commission member Sazzad Hossain revealed that 23 per cent of the victims related to the scrutinised complaints remain missing, while 77 per cent had reappeared.
The tribunal's move marks a significant step in addressing allegations of enforced disappearances during Hasina's tenure, raising questions about accountability for these human rights violations.

During the hearing, ICT Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam told the tribunal that the AL had established a culture of enforced disappearances under state sponsorship and those involved in carrying out these disappearances were rewarded.

He also said that agencies like Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Detective Branch (DB), Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) were most frequently used and involved in these incidents during the AL regime.

Talking to reporters afterwards, the chief prosecutor stated that the next hearing for this case is also scheduled for February 12. The tribunal has instructed that the investigation report be submitted on that day if completed.

"However, if the investigation report cannot be submitted by then, the law enforcement agencies have been directed to provide a progress report on the arrests of the accused," he added.



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