TDS Desk:

Four senior Awami League leaders, including former law minister Anisul Huq and deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s former adviser Salman F Rahman, may soon be formally charged with crimes against humanity in connection with the July uprising, according to the prosecution.

The International Crimes Tribunal’s investigation agency has nearly completed its probe against the four, and formal reports are expected to be submitted to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the coming days, said prosecutor Mizanul Islam.

The other two leaders under investigation are AL joint general secretary and former Kushtia lawmaker Mahbubul Alam Hanif, and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.

Mizanul, a key prosecutor who holds the rank of additional attorney general, said the agency may submit a separate report for Palak, while Hanif could be charged alongside several local AL leaders in Kushtia over killings in the district during the uprising.

The prosecution will later decide whether charges against Anisul and Salman will be brought jointly or separately based on the evidence.

These four are among 45 individuals already named in an ongoing case related to crimes against humanity under ICT investigation. Of the 45, at least 19 are high-profile political figures, including former ministers Amir Hossain Amu, Obaidul Quader, Shahjahan Khan, Qamrul Islam, Mohammad Faruk Khan, Abdur Razzaque, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haq Inu, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Golam Dastagir Gazi, and Dipu Moni, as well as former PM’s adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury.

On September 25, ICT-2 formally charged Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president and former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu in a separate crime against humanity case.

He is the sole accused, with 20 prosecution witnesses listed. The tribunal has scheduled a charge-framing hearing for October 14.

Responding to a query on the case involving 45 accused, Mizanul clarified that if an individual is charged and tried separately, their name may be dropped from the multi-accused case, provided all allegations against them are addressed.

Another prosecutor, seeking anonymity, said before the general election scheduled for February next year, the prosecution aims to complete investigation reports for at least 20 additional cases of crimes against humanity, including several involving enforced disappearances.

HASINA CASE UPDATE

Arguments in the ongoing case against Hasina and two of her top aides may be completed within two weeks. Mizanul said arguments could conclude between October 15 and 20. Once completed, it will be up to the tribunal to decide when to deliver the verdict.

The other accused in the case are former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who has turned approver. On Tuesday, investigation officer Md Alamgir concluded his statement before ICT-1 as the 54th and final prosecution witness.

State-appointed defence counsel Md Amir Hossain, representing the absconding Hasina and Kamal, will resume cross-examining the IO on Monday.

Several other cases are also under trial or nearing trial.

ICT-2 has so far recorded testimonies from nine witnesses in the case of Abu Sayed, a student at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, which involves 30 accused.

Eleven witnesses have testified in the case of seven killings in Ashulia, where five bodies were burned and one victim was burned alive, involving 16 accused.

Additionally, ICT-1 has framed charges against five policemen, including former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, over the killing of two individuals and injuring two others in Rampura during the uprising.