TDS Desk:

The prosecution’s hearing in favour of framing charges against three army officers in a case of crimes against humanity has concluded. The defense hearing in the case will be held on 9 December (Tuesday).

A two-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumder fixed the date after holding hearing on Sunday.

The three army officers were produced before the tribunal around 12pm. They are Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Mazahar Siddiqui, Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, and Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui. They were brought to the tribunal around 10:30am in a prison van from Dhaka Cantonment.

Apart from the three, 10 other people were accused in the case of crimes against humanity related to enforced disappearances at Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the previous Awami League rule. The 10 accused remain fugitives.

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted from power last year, and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal are also defendants in this case.

Meanwhile, additional police, RAB, and BGB personnel were deployed in the area.

On 23 November, the ICT-1 set Sunday (December 7) for the hearing on framing charges. Earlier on 22 October, The ICT-1 sent these three and 10 other army officers to prison in connection with two cases. They were later kept in a special government-declared prison inside Dhaka Cantonment.

On 8 October, formal charges were filed before the tribunal against Hasina and 27 others over enforced disappearances. After the hearing that day, the tribunal took cognisance of the charges and issued arrest warrants against the accused.

In the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) disappearance case, 13 people including Hasina, her former security and defence adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique and Asaduzzaman Khan were accused. In another case filed over enforced disappearances at the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) Cell, Hasina and Tarique Siddique are among 17 accused.

Out of these 30 people, Hasina and Tarique Siddique are defendants in both cases, bringing the total number of accused people to 28. Of them, 13 have been arrested, while the rest remain fugitives.