Staff Correspondent:

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has ordered newspaper notices to be issued summoning 24 fugitives accused in the murder of Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, who was killed during last year’s quota reform protests.

Justice Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury passed the order on Sunday.

The tribunal also directed prison authorities to produce two other accused, Rafiul Hasan Russell and Anwar Parvez Apil, who are currently in jail in separate cases, showing them arrested in the Abu Sayed murder case.

The prosecution team was led by Abdus Sobhan Tarafder and Abdus Sattar Palwan, assisted by BM Sultan Mahmud.

According to them, four of the 30 suspects in the case have already been produced before the tribunal.

They are — former police sub-inspector Amir Hossain, constable Sujon Chandra Roy, Begum Rokeya University proctor Shariful Islam, and Chhatra League activist Imran Chowdhury Akash.

After Sunday’s hearing, Sattar said: “We have confirmed that two others are detained in separate cases, so we requested warrants to produce them in this case, which the tribunal granted.”

“For the remaining 24 fugitives, the court has directed that summons be published in newspapers,” he added.

“The registrar’s office will arrange the publication, and the 22nd of July has been set for the next hearing. Those who fail to appear by then will be assigned state defence lawyers, and the case will proceed to the charge-framing stage.”

The tribunal had accepted the charges against all 30 accused on Jun 30, issuing arrest warrants for 26 who were then absconding.

The investigation agency earlier submitted a report linking all 30 suspects to the killing of Abu Sayed during the July 2024 protests. He was shot dead by police on Jul 16 in Rangpur at the height of the student-led quota reform movement.

Footage of Sayed being shot with his arms outstretched was widely broadcast by media outlets, sparking nationwide outrage. Protests erupted the same day and rapidly spread, leading to a coordinated “complete shutdown” campaign across the country.

The protests escalated into violent clashes, deaths, and arson attacks. Despite imposing a curfew on Jul 19, the government led by deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina failed to regain control.

The Uprising culminated in the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5 after 15 and a half years in power. Hasina subsequently fled to India with her sister Sheikh Rehana.