The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-1) on Sunday sentenced three former police officers to death for crimes against humanity committed during the July Uprising in connection with the killings at Rampura in Dhaka, where two people were killed and two others were injured.
The death convicts are former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Md Habibur Rahman, former additional deputy commissioner of police (Khilgaon Zone) Md Rashedul Islam and former Rampura police station officer-in-charge Md Mashiur Rahman.
The three-member ICT-1 headed by its Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, also awarded life imprisonment to another former police officer and 20 years in prison to another one in connection with the same charges.
The other members of the tribunal are Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired district judge Mohammad Mohitul Haque Anam Chowdhury.
It was Habibur third death sentences for his alleged superior command responsibilities during the July Uprising that killed 1400 people and injured 25000 others during the 36 days of mass uprising that ousted the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina and forced her to flee the country.
The tribunal also sentenced former Rampura police station sub-inspector Tarikul Islam Bhuiyan to life imprisonment and former assistant sub-inspector Chanchal Chandra Sarkar to 20 years' imprisonment in the same case.
According to the prosecution, Amir Hossain was shot dead on July 19, 2024, while trying to escape a police operation in Rampura. He climbed onto the roof of an under-construction building near the Banasree-Meradia Road, where police allegedly opened fire as he was hanging from steel rods.
On the same day, Nadim and Maya Islam were also killed in police firing in the Banasree area under Rampura police station.
The tribunal framed charges against the accused on September 18, 2025. It had initially fixed March 4, 2026 for delivering the judgment but later reopened the proceedings to examine additional witnesses following the change of the interim government. After recording the fresh evidence, the tribunal set June 28, 2026 for pronouncing the verdict.
A total of 13 witnesses, including the investigation officer, testified in the case. On June 15, both the prosecution and defence concluded the second round of closing arguments.
On that day, defence counsel Sarwar Jahan Nippon argued on behalf of former ASI Chanchal Chandra of Rampura Police Outpost, claiming that his client had no involvement in the incident.
Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam, however, sought the maximum punishment for all five accused.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the tribunal fixed June 28 for pronouncing the verdict. Of the five convicts, only Chanchal Chandra is in custody, while the other four remain fugitives.
