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Published : 14 May 2026, 04:57 PM
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has shown three people, including journalists Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa, arrested in a case involving crimes against humanity during the 2013 crackdown on Hifazat-e Islam at Shapla Chattar.
The prosecution has alleged that the journalists played a critical role in the Sheikh Hasina administration’s transformation into a fascist regime by legitimising the crackdown through distorted narratives.
A three-member bench of the International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the order on Thursday following a prosecution petition.
The other members of the bench are Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
The trio -- former foreign minister Dipu Moni, former managing director of Ekattor TV Mozammel Babu, and former chief reporter Farzana Rupa -- were produced before the tribunal from prison following a production warrant issued on May 7.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim told the court that Dipu Moni, who was the foreign minister during the May 5, 2013 incident, played a key role in a global "cover-up".
"She campaigned internationally, justifying the crackdown by claiming that law enforcers were merely neutralising a group of unruly elements," Tamim argued, adding that her actions helped shield the government from international accountability for the loss of lives.
The prosecution’s case against Babu and Rupa hinges on their alleged involvement in the "mechanism" behind the violence.
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam clarified that the arrests were not merely for "misreporting" but for being part of a larger conspiracy to facilitate “fascism”.
"Professional identity -- whether one is a journalist, lawyer, or doctor -- does not grant immunity from prosecution for specific crimes," Islam told reporters.
He alleged that Rupa and Babu used Ekattor TV to brand the Hifazat assembly as "provocative" from the outset and later broadcasted a "distorted version" of the operation to hide the killings.
Islam specifically pointed to Rupa’s "Somikoron" report as evidence that she was part of the "total mechanism" of the state-sponsored violence.
"Those who practice 'yellow journalism' and assist a fascist government in actions that lead to mass casualties must face justice," said Aminul.
The tribunal’s investigation agency reported that 58 people were killed in four locations, including Dhaka, during the violence surrounding the Hifazat assembly.
Of them, 32 were identified in Dhaka, 20 in Narayanganj, five in Chattogram, and one in Cumilla.
The figures contrast sharply with police claims at the time that only 11 people died during the day-long clashes and no one died during the night operation.
The human rights organisation Odhikar had previously reported 61 deaths during the midnight raid.
The tribunal has set Jun 7 for the submission of the investigation report and the next appearance of the accused.
The 2013 incident remains a flashpoint in Bangladesh’s political history.
Hifazat had marched to Dhaka’s Motijheel on May 5, 2013, demanding blasphemy laws.
The subsequent joint forces operation at midnight cleared the area, leading to widespread allegations of human rights violations that were largely suppressed under the Awami League's long tenure.
Following the fall of the Hasina government on Aug 5, 2024, new complaints were filed with the ICT, accusing the former prime minister and 18 others of orchestrating the massacre.
