13 including 9 ex-ministers shown arrested in genocide case

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) today showed arrested 13 people, including nine former ministers arrested in a case over killings, genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the July-August student-led mass uprising.

The 13 arrestees are – Anisul Huq, Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan, Dr Dipu Moni, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Salman F Rahman, Shajahan Khan, Kamal Ahmed Mazumder, Golam Dastagir Gazi, AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and former home secretary Md Jahangir Alam.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder passed the order in presence of the 13 high-profile accused. The two other members of the tribunal are Justice Md Shofiqul Alam Mahmood and Judge M Mohitul Hoque Anam Chowdhury.

The jail authorities, however, failed to produce another accused former agriculture minister Dr Abdur Razzak before the court as he is in the custody of Tangail Mirzapur Police Station where he was taken into remand in another case. The tribunal ordered to produce him along with other arrestees and remaining accused on the next hearing date.

Allowing a time plea filed by the prosecution in part, the International Crimes Tribunal set December 17, 2024, for submitting probe report in the case.

The 13 high profile accused were brought to the tribunal in three separate prison vans, as Golam Dastagir Gazi was, who was in Narayanagj jail, brought first at around 9.45 am. Dr Dipu Moni was brought alone 10 minutes later in another prison van, while the remaining 11 were brought together at 10.02 am sharp.

All the 13 accused were brought to the makeshift courtroom at 10.45 am, and all but Dipu Moni were made to enter into the dock. The former education minister was made to sit in a chair outside the dock, with couple of policewomen standing beside her.

The tribunal started its proceedings at 11am sharp and after holding hearing of a case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, it started hearing this case.

Chief Prosecutor Advocate Muhammad Tajul Islam in his plea said the arrestees abetted Sheikh Hasina in committing killings, genocides and crimes against humanity during the July-August student-led mass uprising.

“Some of them had abetted Hasina under her superior command responsibility, while many had individual responsibility. People like Anisul Huq, Dipu Moni, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Mohammad A Arafat, Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Zunaid Ahmed Palak had individual responsibilities over the crimes,” he said.

The chief prosecutor further said all the accused played their individual role in continuing the genocides, retaining the power for the Hasina regime. Despite being part of such barbarism, they had no remorse, Muhammad Tajul Islam added.

Deputy attorney generals Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim, BM Sultan Mahmud and Abdullah Al Noman were present during the hearing.