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Published : 12 Jan 2026, 01:26 PM
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has indicted Salman F Rahman, an advisor to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and former law minister Anisul Huq, in a case involving charges of crimes against humanity linked to the July Uprising.
The order was issued on Monday by a three-member ICT-1 bench chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, paving the way for trial proceedings to start.
The charges relate to accusations that the two men incited mass killings during the student-led uprising.
The tribunal has set Feb 10 for opening statements.
Both Salman and Anisul were present in court. Before formally framing the charges, the tribunal asked whether they wished to plead guilty. Both denied the allegations and requested a fair trial.
ICT Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam and Gazi MH Tamim represented the prosecution, while senior lawyer Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury appeared for the defence.
The prosecution has brought five charges against the two men, including allegations of incitement, abetment and conspiracy to use lethal weapons through the imposition of curfews.
Prosecutors also allege that Salman and Anisul took policy-level decisions aimed at suppressing the July 2024 protest movement.
Speaking after the order, prosecutor Mizanul Islam said the tribunal had rejected discharge applications filed by Salman and Anisul.
“The main allegations are that they conspired to impose a curfew and instructed, planned and incited killings. Recordings of their telephone conversations have been presented before the tribunal, along with expert reports."
Mizanul added that the charges had also been framed over the alleged involvement of Salman and Anisul in the killing of 30 people on Jul 22, Jul 28, Aug 4 and Aug 5, 2024.
The prosecution completed its arguments on Dec 2, 2025, when it sought the formal framing of charges. At that stage, a phone recording allegedly involving Salman and Anisul was played before the tribunal.
On Jan 4, the defence argued that the conversation did not involve either of the accused and requested that the audio recording be examined by foreign experts. The tribunal rejected the request and ordered that the recording be kept on the case file.
Prosecutors alleged that after the phone call, made during protests in July and August 2024, indiscriminate firing and killings took place in Dhaka and other parts of the country.
Later, on Jan 6, the defence filed an application seeking the discharge of both men, maintaining their innocence. The tribunal rejected that request.
