Tribunal hears charge framing against Hasina-Quader-Benazir, others

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 hears the formal charge framing against 11 individuals on Thursday, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a crimes against humanity case over the crossfire murder of Teknaf councillor Ekramul Haque.

A judicial panel led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Chairman of ICT-2, conducts the hearing on Thursday (September 24).

Four accused are currently under arrest in this case. They are former Cox's Bazar-4 MP Abdur Rahman Bodi, Brigadier General Mifftah Uddin Ahmed, Brigadier General Mahbub Alam, and former RAB Director General Colonel (LPR) Anwar Latif Khan.

Seven other accused, including Sheikh Hasina, remain absconding. The remaining fugitives are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, Major (retd) Ruhul Amin, Lieutenant Commander Ashequr Rahman, and former DGFI official Squadron Leader Najmus Sakib Mahmud.

According to the prosecution, the tribunal appointed state defence lawyers for the seven absconding accused on September 7. The court also fixed today for the charge framing hearing.

Advocate Tabarak Hossain completed the bail hearing for Mifftah Uddin, Mahbub Alam, and Anwar Latif Khan on the same day. The tribunal will issue an order on their bail petitions today.

On August 25, the court directed the publication of notices in two national dailies ordering the seven fugitives to surrender. However, only the four arrested accused appeared before the tribunal on September 7. The court subsequently declared the rest as fugitives and appointed state lawyers at public expense.

Earlier on July 26, ICT-2 accepted the formal charges filed by the prosecution against the 11 accused.

Prosecution documents show that Ekramul Haq was picked up near Hotel Netong in Teknaf at around 10:30 PM on May 26, 2018. He was killed in a staged RAB crossfire on Marine Drive in Noakhaliapara between 11:00 PM and midnight. Ekramul was a councillor of Ward 3 of Teknaf Municipality and president of the Upazila Jubo League.

The prosecution brought specific charges against the accused, including illegal detention, abduction, staging a gunfight drama, murder by shooting, abetment, complicity, and ordering the execution.

-SA