TDS Desk

The accused were brought before the tribunal on Wednesday after being shown arrested in cases related to crimes against humanity, says ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam

Eight accused, including former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun and former director general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, have been produced before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in connection with killings during the July-August mass uprising.

ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam said that the accused were brought before the tribunal on Wednesday after being shown arrested in cases related to crimes against humanity.

All of them are currently behind bars in connection with other cases.

The accused include former Jatrabari Police Station OC Abul Hasan, former superintendent of Dhaka police Md Abdullah Al Kafi, former DC (Mirpur) Md Jasim Uddin Mollah, former additional superintendent (Savar Circle) Md Shahidur Islam, former OC of Gulshan Police Station Md Mazharul Haque and former Detective Branch inspector Md Arafat Hossain.

On 27 October, the ICT ordered that 14 accused be produced before it on 18 November.

Thirteen people, including nine former ministers of the ousted Awami League government, were subsequently presented in court. But, former agriculture minister Dr Abdur Razzaque could not be brought before the tribunal due to his illness.

Besides, the court had directed that former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun, former army officer Ziaul Ahsan, and the other aforementioned police officials be presented on 20 November, as per schedule.

Various allegations, including killing, torture, abduction, and harassment, have been lodged with the ICT against the accused following the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on 5 August.

The July-August uprising, which began as a protest over government jobs, escalated into a full-blown anti-government movement, causing  deaths to some 1,000 people and leaving many others injured, and bringing in an end to Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.