Staff Correspondent:

The decision to use lethal weapons, fire from helicopters, and conduct block raids in suppressing the July Uprising was taken under the leadership of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun told the International Crimes Tribunal.

The instruction to use lethal weapons came from Sheikh Hasina herself, said Abdullah Al Mamun on Tuesday (September 2) while testifying as a state witness in crimes against humanity case against Sheikh Hasina and two others.

He said, the order was carried out under the leadership of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, while former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman Habib and DB’s Harun-or-Rashid were overly enthusiastic about using deadly weapons.

In his deposition, Mamun said that two groups had formed within the police force under the leadership of former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman and former Special Branch chief Monirul Islam.

The former IGP stated that after the 2018 elections, political influence within the police force increased even further. Certain officers became known as highly influential figures, maintaining direct communication with senior political leaders.

He said these officers used to hold meetings almost every night at the residence of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Among the participants were former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, DB chief Harunur Rashid, SB’s Monirul Islam, Dhaka DIG Nurul Islam, Additional DIG Biplob Kumar, ASP Kafi, OC Majhar, Forqan Apurbo, and several others. Some of them even had direct communication with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

State witness Mamun testified that because of their direct access to the top levels of government, these officers did not follow the chain of command. “But I wanted them to perform their duties with professionalism,” he said. He added that the two factions within the police were the ones carrying out such activities, and their leaders wanted their own associates to secure key postings and remain stationed in Dhaka.

The judicial panel of International Crimes Tribunal-01, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumder recorded Mamun’s testimony from 11:50am to 1:30pm today in a case regarding crimes against humanity committed during the July–August period.

The accused in the case include former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun. Mamun, who was initially an accused, is now testifying as a state witness. At the time of the July movement, Mamun was serving as the Chief of Police.

‘RAB HAD SECRET DETENTION CENTRES’

In his testimony, Mamun stated that there was a secret detention centre called TIF under RAB-1, and similar facilities existed in other RAB units. People with opposing political views or those considered threats to the government were brought there, he added.

He further said that these instructions came from the Prime Minister’s Office, sometimes directly from Tarique Siddiqui, former defence and security adviser to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Detentions at “Aynaghar” and killings in so-called crossfire incidents were carried out by RAB’s additional deputy commissioner (Operations) and the director of Intelligence.

He also added that on the night before the 2018 national elections, then IGP Javed Patwari advised Sheikh Hasina to pre-fill 50% of the ballot boxes. Mamun also gave testimony about the “Gopalganj syndicate” within the police.

Earlier, 35 witnesses—including wounded individuals from the July movement, family members of the deceased, and doctors—had testified against Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. The prosecution expects to complete witness hearings in the case within this month.