ICT Accepts Charges Against Amu, Six Others Over July Atrocities

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Thursday took cognisance of charges against seven individuals linked to the Awami League, including former minister Amir Hossain Amu, in a case over alleged crimes against humanity during the July 2024 uprising.

The three-member bench of ICT-2, led by Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, also ordered that six of the accused, who are currently in jail, be produced before it on November 22 in connection with the case.

The tribunal issued an arrest warrant for Awami League Organising Secretary Mirza Azam, who is absconding.

The other accused are former Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, former Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan, former Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque, former minister Dr Dipu Moni and former energy adviser to the then prime minister Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury.

Briefing reporters, prosecutor Gazi Tamim said former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had taken state-level and political decisions to suppress the July mass uprising.

Plans had allegedly been devised to use lethal weapons against protesters, impose a curfew, shut down the internet and control the media, he said.

The prosecution submitted records of conversations, documents, supporting evidence and witness statements to the tribunal in support of the allegations, Tamim added.

He said evidence, including a United Nations report, had been submitted to support allegations that state forces and intelligence agencies were used to carry out killings to suppress the movement.

The prosecutor also claimed that the UN report contained an alleged instruction from Sheikh Hasina to “kill them and hide the bodies.”

Regarding the individual roles of the accused, he said the prosecution had presented information that Tk5 crore in cash was found in sacks at Amu's residence after August 5, 2024.

According to the prosecution, Faruk Khan attended a security committee meeting on August 4, where a decision was allegedly taken to shoot protesters at the entry points to Dhaka the following day.

Dipu Moni, meanwhile, allegedly attended a meeting on imposing the curfew and participated in planning to suppress the movement, Tamim said.

He also alleged that Shajahan Khan, through conversations with Sheikh Hasina, instructed the deployment of police, Awami League leaders and activists, and workers against protesters.

The case also includes allegations of arson at various establishments during the movement.

The prosecutor said recordings of conversations involving Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader and Hasan Mahmud had been submitted to the tribunal in this connection.

Forensic reports verifying the authenticity of the recordings, along with video reports examined by experts from the BBC, Al Jazeera and the United Nations, had also been submitted, he added.

Tamim said the seven accused had been charged with incitement, assistance, conspiracy and contribution to the commission of crimes. They also face allegations of superior command responsibility.

The prosecution alleged that the accused, from their respective positions, played roles in making and implementing political decisions to suppress the movement.

The prosecutor further said the investigation into the abduction and torture of six coordinators of the July uprising while in Detective Branch (DB) custody was nearing completion.

Earlier, on November 2, the prosecution submitted formal charges against the seven individuals.