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Published : 10 Feb 2026, 06:52 PM
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) prosecution has said a curfew and a “shoot-on-sight” order to suppress the July Uprising were issued on the “advice” of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s former advisor Salman F Rahman and former law minister Anisul Huq.
The trial of the two suspects on charges of crimes against humanity formally began on Tuesday at Tribunal-1 with the prosecution’s opening statement.
The three-member bench, led by tribunal chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, heard the opening statement.
The other members of the bench are Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired district and sessions judge Md Mohitul Enam Chowdhury.
After the hearing, Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam told reporters: “During the previous government, suspects Anisul Huq and Salman F Rahman were extremely influential figures at the policy-making level.
“Through multiple meetings and telephone conversations with each other, they conspired in July-August to annihilate students and the public.
“They planned the use of firearms, helicopters and the military, and influenced the then prime minister. As a result, students and civilians were shot dead across the country like birds.”
On the curfew and shooting orders, he said: “We have shown that Salman F Rahman and Anisul Huq jointly advised on imposing the curfew.
“On their advice, the shoot-on-sight order or plan was implemented. Anisul Huq in particular spoke of two schools of thought, one of which was to completely eliminate the protesters.
“These plans originated from the minds of these two individuals. They are referred to as members of the ‘gang of four’.”
Tajul said the prosecution has listed 28 witnesses against the two suspects and would “irrefutably prove their crimes through digital, documentary and live evidence”.
The prosecution added that no witnesses were produced on Tuesday.
The tribunal set Feb 22 for recording testimony from the prosecution’s first witness.
On Jan 12, the tribunal ordered the trial to begin by framing five charges against the two.
On that day, the suspects pleaded not guilty and sought justice from the court.
According to the prosecution, Salman and Anisul took policy-level decisions to suppress the July-August movement.
In this context, they spoke by phone on Jul 19, 2024.
Despite widespread deaths of students and civilians resulting from their continued conspiracy and instigation, no effective steps were taken to stop the repression.
The prosecution also cited killings in Mirpur on Jul 23; the use of lethal weapons in Mirpur-10 on Jul 28; the killing of 12 people in Mirpur-1 on Aug 4; and the deaths of 16 people in Mirpur-2, 10 and 13 during the “March to Dhaka” event on Aug 5, describing them as carried out under their planning and instructions.
Formal charges were submitted against the two on Dec 4, 2025, and Tribunal-1 took cognisance of the charges the same day.
Both influential Awami League leaders are currently in jail in connection with multiple cases.
