bdnews:

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is set to be indicted in a case over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the 2013 Hifazat-e Islam gathering at Motijheel Shapla Chattar.

Prosecutors say findings from an investigation implicated the former police chief, who was then serving as a Rapid Action Battalion officer, in alleged extrajudicial killings during the crackdown on a mass rally.

On Wednesday, International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said the ICT Investigation Agency had found Al-Mamun’s involvement in the May 5, 2013 incident.

He said inquiries were ongoing to identify others responsible, with a clearer picture expected within 10 to 15 days.

Mamun had earlier become a state witness in a separate crimes against humanity case related to the July Uprising against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

In that case, he received a reduced five-year sentence from the tribunal and is currently in jail. He has filed an appeal to the Supreme Court against the verdict.

On the Shapla Chattar case, Chief Prosecutor Aminul said involvement of several senior officials, including Mamun, had surfaced during the investigation.

He stressed that anyone found responsible — civilian, police, RAB or military — would be brought to trial.

He added that the Shapla Chattar incident was being treated as a separate case, while authorities had also sought a comprehensive list of enforced disappearances and so-called crossfire killings from police stations nationwide.

Cases identified as widespread and systematic would be pursued as crimes against humanity.

Responding to questions on Mamun’s earlier status as a state witness, Aminul said the act did not grant blanket immunity.

“Being a state witness in one case does not mean immunity in all cases. Immunity applies only to specific incidents, and superior command responsibility is assessed separately in each case,” he said.

The tribunal had earlier set Apr 5 for submission of the investigation report, but following a prosecution request, Tribunal-1 led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder rescheduled it to Jun 7.

So far, six people have been arrested in the case, including former state minister for home Shamsul Hoque Tuku, retired major general Ziaul Ahsan, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, former DIGs Molla Nazrul Islam and Abdul Jalil Mandal, and Shahriar Kabir, president of the advisory council of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee.

Hifazat, a Qawmi madrasa-based organisation, was formed in 2010 opposing the National Women Development Policy and Education Policy.

It rose to prominence in 2013 after countering the Shahbagh movement demanding maximum punishment for war criminals.

On May 5, 2013, Hifazat called a rally in Motijheel demanding punishment for bloggers opposing the Shahbagh movement, which spiralled into widespread violence.

A joint operation later that night cleared the area.

Human rights group Odhikar claimed 61 people were killed in the crackdown, while police said no one died during the night operation and that 11 were killed in clashes during the day.

After the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, 2024, a formal complaint on the Shapla Chattar incident was filed at the tribunal on Aug 20, naming 19 individuals, including Hasina.