Depositions against the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her alleged involvement in crime against humanity during the July-August mass uprising last year will begin at the end of this month or the first week of next month.

“The depositions against Sheikh Hasina will begin at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) at the end of this month (July) or in the first week of next month (August),” Prosecutor Gazi M H Tamim said here today.

The Chief Prosecutor of ICT Mohammad Tajul Islam has already prayed to the ICT to try the ousted absconding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and arrested former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun after framing charges against them, prosecutor Gazi Tamim added. 

The Chief Prosecutor on July 1 last during the charge hearing before the ICT-1 headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder raised five allegations against the accused. 

In his argument to the tribunal, the Chief Prosecutor alleged that crime against humanity were committed across the country during the July-August mass uprising last year. It was widely spread in respect of number, measurement and spaces, he said while describing it as a “systematic” crime.

The police and other auxiliary forces carried out the “massacre” all over the country through a chain of command following instructions from the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Chief Prosecutor told the tribunal. 

They used deadly weapons across the country in the same way and the aggressions were wide and systematic and those were obviously crimes against humanity, he said.

After the deliberations of the Chief Prosecutor, state appointed lawyer for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, advocate Amir Hossain prayed to the tribunal-1 for two weeks time for framing charges but the court fixed July 7 for next hearing. 

Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun’s lawyer Zayed Bin Amzad was present before the tribunal at that time.  Meanwhile, Bangladesh Television (BTV) taking permission from the tribunal, broadcasted the hearing live.

Excepting the case, there are two more cases against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Of the two, one is for killing and enforced disappearances during the 15 years rule of the past Awami League (AL) government and the other is for killing of Hefajat Islam’s rally in city’s Shapla Chattar.

Several allegations of mass killings and crimes against humanity against a section of the then AL government, its political cadres and a section of government officers were submitted for their alleged involvement in crime against humanity. BSS