The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 has published the full 591-page verdict in Ashulia body burning case, in which six people were killed during the July uprising and their bodies set on fire.
Six accused, including a former lawmaker, have been sentenced to death.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, released the detailed judgment on Sunday, after the summary verdict was delivered on February 5.
The six condemned to death are-- former MP Muhammad Saiful Islam, former Ashulia Police Station OC AFM Sayed, former Sub-Inspector Abdul Malek, former Assistant ASI Bishwajit Saha, former Constable Mukul Chokdar, and Jubo League activist Roni Bhuiyan.
Seven accused awarded with life sentences are-- former Dhaka Range DIG Syed Nurul Islam, former Dhaka District SP Md Asaduzzaman Ripon, former Additional SP Abdullahil Kafi, former Additional SP Md Shahidul Islam, former Inspector Mohammad Masudur Rahman, former Inspector Nirmal Kumar Das, and former DB North Inspector Md Arafat Hossain.
Two former sub-inspectors, Arafat Uddin and Kamrul Hasan, were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. Former SI Sheikh Abzalul Haque was pardoned after turning approver and providing testimony for the prosecution.
The tribunal noted in its observations that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence of direct participation by several police officers in the body burning. While the charges were serious, the inability to adequately prove the degree of involvement of some accused resulted in reduced sentences. Their liability was primarily established through their role in assisting operations under orders from superior officers.
Of the 16 accused, eight are in custody and eight remain fugitives. Those in custody include Abdullahil Kafi, Shahidul Islam, Arafat Hossain, Abdul Malek, Arafat Uddin, Kamrul Hasan, Abzalul Haque, and Mukul Chokdar. The fugitives include Saiful Islam, Syed Nurul Islam, Asaduzzaman Ripon, AFM Sayed, Masudur Rahman, Nirmal Kumar Das, Bishwajit Saha, and Roni Bhuiyan.
On August 5, 2024 — the day the Awami League government fell during the July mass uprising — six people were shot dead in the Ashulia police station area, including one person who was critically injured but still alive when set ablaze. The victims included Sajjad Hossain, As-Sabur, Tanjil Mahmud, Bayezid Bostami, and Abul Hossain, among others.
This is the first verdict from Tribunal-2 related to crimes against humanity during the July uprising. Tribunal-1 has already delivered two verdicts, including one sentencing ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death, and another sentencing former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman and two others to death for crimes committed in the Chankharpul area of Dhaka.
