Home
+
Published : 22 Jun 2025, 05:56 PM
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has scheduled Jun 29 for a hearing to frame charges in the killing of six people at Dhaka’s Chankharpul during the July Uprising.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, also ordered the appointment of a state defence lawyer for the fugitives in the case.
The decision was made on Sunday following a petition from the prosecution.
This is the first case linked to the July Uprising to reach the charge-framing stage.
Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim represented the state before the tribunal.
Of the eight accused in the case, four have been arrested and were produced in court: Police Inspector Arshad, Constables Md Sujon, Imaaz Hossain Emon, and Nasirul Islam.
The four others remain on the run.
On Jun 3, the court ordered newspaper notices summoning the fugitives, who include former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, ex-Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakrabarti, former Additional Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Shah Alam Md Akhtarul Islam, and former Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Imrul.
According to the investigation report submitted by the tribunal's inquiry agency, the accused used lethal force against “unarmed and peaceful protesters” at Chankharpul, killing Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Mahdi Hasan Junayed, Md Yakoob, Md Rakib Howlader, Md Ismamul Haque, and Manik Mia.
The tribunal formally accepted the charges on May 25.
Speaking to reporters that day, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam alleged that deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan were also “implicated” in the killings.
“They were not charged due to an ongoing investigation into superior command responsibility. However, the charge sheet details their role in ordering and planning the attack,” he said.
“The directives reportedly came from Sheikh Hasina and were carried out on the ground by law enforcement personnel and activists of the Awami League and the 14-party alliance.”
The investigation report spans 90 pages and took 6 months and 13 days to complete. Statements from 79 witnesses were recorded, along with 19 video clips, 11 newspaper reports, 2 audio recordings, 11 books and reports, and six death certificates attached as evidence.
