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Published : 05 Nov 2025, 06:44 PM
The Bangladesh Army has said it is awaiting legal clarification from the interim government on the employment status of its 15 officers currently in jail pending trial on charges of crimes against humanity.
At a press conference held at the Officers Mess in Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday, Brig Gen Md Mustafizur Rahman, director of the AG Branch at Army Headquarters, said the matter remains a legal process.
He explained that the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Act does not explicitly specify if being named in a chargesheet leads to termination of service.
“It is a legal procedural matter,” Brig Gen Mustafizur said. “As you know, both the Army Act, 1952 and the International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1972 are special acts.
“We will not pit the two laws against each other. Whatever the government considers appropriate, we are ready to proceed.”
Earlier, the Army said it was working with the government to address inconsistencies between the two laws.
When asked how far that process had progressed, Mustafizur said: “The case is now being conducted under the ICT Act, and we are in engagement with the government.
“We respect the law. Whichever law the government chooses for the trial, we want it to be carried out through a transparent process.”
On the rights of the detained officers, he said the Army is fully aware of their entitlements. “At the same time, we remain sympathetic to the families of those affected by enforced disappearances and killings.”
The officer noted that if the government opts for trials under the Army Act, the Army is prepared to implement it.
When asked whether the detained officers are still officially employed, he replied: “That too is a legal procedural issue. In the third amendment of the ICT Act, published on the 6th of October, the clause on ‘disqualification to have a public office’ has raised an interpretational problem. It can be read in different ways. We are in discussion with the government and waiting for a clear directive.”
“We want this issue to be clarified further,” he added. “If ‘disqualification’ means ‘termination’, the procedure for such termination has not been clearly stated. Whether army officers can be considered as holding a ‘public office’ also needs clarification. We are in engagement with the government and hope we will move towards a fair solution and reach a good result.”
On Oct 8, the International Crimes Tribunal issued arrest warrants against 28 accused in three cases involving enforced disappearances and killings allegedly committed during the Awami League government.
Following the warrants, the Army announced on Oct 11 that 15 of the accused -- both serving and on leave prior to retirement -- had been taken into army custody.
The government later declared a building inside Dhaka Cantonment as a temporary prison to detain them.
On Oct 22, the tribunal sent the 15 officers to jail. Ten of them are accused in cases related to torture and killings inside the Rapid Action Battalion’s Taskforce Interrogation (TFI) cell.
They are:
• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam
• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Brig Gen Tofail Mostafa Sarwar
• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hassan
• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Brig Gen Md Mahbub Alam
• Former RAB director (Intelligence Wing) Lt Col Md Moshiur Rahman Jewel
• Former RAB director (Intelligence Wing) Lt Col Saiful Islam Sumon
• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Col Abdullah Al Momen
• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Col Anwar Latif Khan, now on retirement leave
• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Col KM Azad
• Former RAB director (Intelligence Wing) Lt Col Md Sarwar Bin Quasem
Three officers are accused in cases involving torture and killings at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC). They are:
• Former DGFI (CTIB) director Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddique
• Former DGFI (CTIB) director Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Mazahar Siddiqui -- also former media chief of the agency
• Former DGFI (CTIB) director Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain
The remaining two once served with the Border Guard Bangladesh and are accused in a case over the killing of 28 people in Rampura-Banasree during the July Uprising.
They are:
• Lt Col Mohammad Redwanul Islam, former BGB officer
• Maj Rafat Bin Alam Mun, former BGB officer
