Staff Correspondent:

International Crimes Tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said that deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attempted to create chaos within state institutions and tried to incite the army.

Tajul Islam made these remarks on Thursday at International Crimes Tribunal-1.

The prosecution’s final arguments in the case against Sheikh Hasina and two others concluded today, and he made the remarks at that time.

Tajul Islam said Sheikh Hasina tried to provoke a civil war within the state. She tried to incite the army officers saying, “your officers are being tried — why aren’t you standing up?”

Alongside Sheikh Hasina, the other two accused in this case are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.

Mamun has admitted his guilt and become an “approver” (state witness).

At the tribunal today, Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam said those who have been accused here (Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman) show no remorse. They have committed such a grave crime — the whole world knows the crime was committed, and they know it too — yet there is never any sign of remorse.

Instead, they have threatened to kill those who have filed cases against them and those who are giving evidence. They have talked about destroying their homes. They have talked about dumping their bodies in the Bay of Bengal.

Tajul Islam added that, most recently, she tried to sow discord across state agencies and tried to incite the army. She tried to tell the army, ‘Your officers are being tried — why aren’t you standing up?’

She tried to provoke a civil war within the state. But the patriotic Bangladesh Army did not fall into that trap. The people of Bangladesh did not fall into that trap. They remain steadfast in their commitment to bring perpetrators to justice. They brought them to the court. The trial process is being conducted smoothly. Bangladesh is moving forward. No one has taken the bait of any incitement.

The Chief Prosecutor further said that despite such a brutal massacre, attempts to wipe out an entire generation, injuring 35,000 people and maiming many, there is still no hint of remorse. There were children, women, labourers, students among the victims — her heart did not tremble at killing them. To date, there is no remorse. Therefore she certainly deserves the maximum punishment.