Bangladesh tribunal sends 15 Army officers to jail over 'crimes against humanity' charges

They were previously being held in Army custody in three cases involving enforced disappearances and killings allegedly committed during the Awami League's rule

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Bangladesh has ordered that 15 Army officers currently in military custody be sent to jail in connection with three cases of crimes against humanity, including enforced disappearances and killings, allegedly committed during the Awami League’s rule.

A three-member ICT-1 bench, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, issued the order on Wednesday.

The tribunal also directed that public notices be published in newspapers, instructing the remaining accused to appear before the court.

After 7am, the detained officers were brought to the tribunal in a prison van under tight security.

Police officers escorted them from the prison van to the tribunal’s holding cell. At the time, the Army officers were seen wearing civilian clothes.

In the three cases of crimes against humanity, there are a total of 28 accused, including 25 former and current Army officers. It had been earlier reported that 15 serving Army officers were taken into military custody.

Two of the three cases involve incidents of enforced disappearance, torture, and detention in the Rapid Action Batallion's Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) and the Army’s Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) facilities during the tenure of the ousted Awami League regime.

The third case relates to allegations of crimes against humanity committed in Dhaka's Rampura and Banasree areas during the July Uprising.

In one of the two enforced disappearance cases, there are 17 accused.

Among them are former additional director general of RAB Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan, Brig Gen Md Mahbub Alam, Brig (Col) KM Azad, Col Abdullah Al Momen, and Col Anwar Latif Khan, who is currently on post-retirement leave. Also in custody are RAB’s former director of intelligence Lt Col Md Moshiur Rahman, Lt Col Saiful Islam Sumon, and Lt Col Md Sarwar Bin Quasem.

Others include Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddique, Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Mazahar Siddiqui, Lt Col Mohammad Redwanul Islam, and Maj Rafat Bin Alam Moon.

Previously, on Oct 11, the Army announced in a media briefing that the 15 officers had been taken into custody.