SC lawyer Panna to represent Hasina in two enforced disappearance cases

The International Crimes Tribunal approved his appointment during proceedings that saw 13 Army officers brought to court under tight security

Senior Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna has been appointed by the state to represent deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina in two cases involving alleged enforced disappearances and torture during the Awami League’s 15-year rule.

The International Crimes Tribunal also named state-appointed defence lawyers for several other fugitive accused.

The appointments were made on Sunday by a two-member bench of the International Crimes Tribunal-1, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder.

The decision came after 13 arrested Army officers were produced before the tribunal under heavy security at around 10am local time. Army, police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel were deployed across the tribunal and Supreme Court premises.

At the start of the day’s proceedings, Panna filed a request to be appointed as defence counsel for Hasina, which the court approved. Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam appeared for the prosecution.

At least 10 out of the 17 accused in the case over the torture of detainees held in RAB's Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell, were brought to the tribunal on Sunday.

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 in LPR)

• Former RAB additional director general (ops) Col KM Azad

• Former RAB director (Intelligence Wing) Lt Col Md Sarwar Bin Quasem

Seven accused in the case, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and her defence and security advisor retired Maj Gen Tarique Ahmed Siddique, are absconding.

Three of the 13 accused arrested in the case of torture in the Army's Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) have been taken to the tribunal. They are—

• Former DGFI (CTIB) director Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddique

• Former DGFI (CTIB) director Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Mazahar Siddiqui -- also the former media chief of the agency

• Former DGFI (CTIB) director Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain

Ten accused in the case, including Hasina and her defence advisor Tarique, are absconding.

Earlier, on Oct 22, a total of 15 Army officers arrested in three cases were presented before the tribunal. The other suspects were accused in a case of crimes against humanity over the killing of 28 people in Dhaka’s Rampura-Banasree area during the July Uprising.