ICT issues arrest warrants for 18, including Hasan Mahmud, Nowfel, over July Uprising murders

Three charges have been brought against them, says the chief prosecutor

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for 18 suspects, including a former foreign minister and a former education minister, in a case over the killing of six people, including Chattogram Chhatra Dal leader Wasim Akram, during the July Uprising.

A three-member bench headed by ICT-2 Chairman Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury passed the order on Tuesday, taking into cognisance formal charges against 22 suspects, said Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam.

The other two members of the bench are Md Manjurul Bashid and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.

Additionally, the tribunal has ordered the four suspects who are currently in prison, to appear before it on Apr 19.

The arrestees are former Chittagong-6 MP ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, and Jubo League leaders Azizur Rahman, Touhidul Islam, and Md Firoz.

Arrest warrants were also issued for former ministers Hasan Mahmud and Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel, as well as AJM Nasir Uddin and Rezaul Karim, two former mayors of Chattogram City Corporation.

Aminul said: “The ICT has taken into cognisance the allegations against 22 suspects based on prima facie evidence against them.

“We believe and hope to establish and prove the charges brought against them in the tribunal with the evidence we have.”

The prosecution previously brought three charges in this case. The first charge is over the murders of Wasim, Faisal Ahmed Shanto and Faruq, and the second is over the murders of Tanvir Siddiqui, Saymon alias Mahim and Hridoy Chandra.

The third charge is for critically injuring more than 1,000 students and members of the public.

On Apr 2, the tribunal’s investigation agency submitted its probe report in the case, saying the suspects had shot the victims dead.

They also ordered, incited and assisted in the murders, according to the report.