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Published : 08 Jan 2026, 04:10 PM
A tribunal will decide on Jan 14 whether charges will be framed against former army officer Ziaul Ahsan in a case over crimes against humanity involving more than a hundred alleged disappearances and murders.
A two-member bench of the International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, fixed the date on Thursday.
At the beginning of the day’s proceedings, senior lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury and Ziaul Ahsan’s sister, lawyer Naznin Nahar, appeared on his behalf and sought his discharge.
The prosecution has brought three charges against retd Maj gen Ziaul Ahsan, accusing him of involvement in more than a hundred killings at three locations -- Gazipur, Barguna and the Sundarbans.
Ziaul’s lawyers opposed the charges and applied for discharge, arguing against the prosecution’s claims.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam later responded to the defence’s submissions.
After hearing both sides, the tribunal fixed Jan 14 for its order on whether charges will be framed against Ziaul.
On Jan 4, the prosecution concluded its hearing on charge framing, with Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam reading out the three charges, which relate to alleged enforced disappearances and killings during the Awami League government.
According to the prosecution, the first charge involves the killing of three people, including Sajal, in the direct presence of Ziaul on the night of Jul 11, 2011, beside the Pubail Road under Gazipur Sadar Police Station.
The second charge concerns the killing of 50 people, including Nazrul Islam Mallik, between 2010 and 2013 at the mouth of the Baleshwari River near the Charduany Canal in Charduany Union of Patharghata Upazila in Barguna.
The third charge alleges the killing of another 50 people in different parts of the Sundarbans, including areas of the Baleshwari River in Barguna and Sarankhola in Bagerhat, under the pretext of suppressing alleged forest robbers.
On Dec 17, Tribunal-1 took cognisance of the three charges against Ziaul, and a formal charge was filed against him the same day.
