The Investigation Agency of the International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday submitted a probe report accusing 30 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, of crimes against humanity committed during the July 2024 mass uprising in Rangpur.
The charges include that of killing Abu Sayeed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, who died on the university campus on July 16, 2024 during nationwide protests against discrimination.
Abu Sayeed, coordinator of the Student Movement Against Discrimination at the university, was shot in the chest when police opened fire. He died on the spot.
His killing sparked outrage across the country and intensified the student-led protests that eventually led to the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.
Prosecutor Mizanul Islam told reporters during the briefing at the ICT building on Thursday that the Chief Prosecutor鈥檚 Office received the investigation report on Thursday morning.
Formal charges against 30 individuals would be submitted to the International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, on Sunday, he said.
鈥楽heikh Hasina will be named in the charges as an instigator and for issuing orders in the crimes against humanity,鈥� said Mizanul, responding to a question.
He declined to disclose the names of the other 29 accused before the charges were formally submitted to the tribunal.
Mizanul said that the accusation was what Hasina faced a second formal charge as the ICT investigated July鈥揂ugust uprising cases.
He said that four of the accused -- former BRUR proctor Shariful Islam, Chhatra League leader Imran Chowdhury Akash, sub-inspector Amir Hossain, and constable Sujan Chandra Roy -- were now detained in custody.聽
On January 13, Abu Sayeed鈥檚 brother Ramjan Ali filed a complaint with the chief prosecutor鈥檚 office, accusing 24 named and 130 to 135 unidentified individuals of involvement in crimes聽 against humanity committed in Rangpur.
The investigation agency later added six more names, including Sheikh Hasina, for their alleged supervisory roles in the incident, during the course of the investigation.
Abu Sayeed鈥檚 brother Ramjan Ali alleged that senior government officials, and leaders and activists of the ruling party鈥檚 student wing, Chhatra League, at the university orchestrated the attack.
The 24 accused in Ramjan Ali鈥檚 complaint include former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, the university proctor and political science department associate professor Shariful Islam, mathematics department associate professor Md Mashiur Rahman, public administration department associate professor Asaduzzaman Mondal, former inspector general of police Abdullah Al Mamun, former Rangpur Metropolitan Police commissioner Md Moniruzzaman, former deputy inspector general of police of Rangpur Division Md Abdul Baten, Rangpur Metropolitan Police commissioner Md Abu Maruf Hossain, additional deputy commissioner Md Shah Nur Alam Patwari, who later promoted to superintendent of police, RMP assistant commissioners Md Arifuzzaman (Kotwali zone) and Md Al Imran Hossain, Tajhat police station officer-in-charge Rabiul Islam, the university鈥檚 police outpost in-charge and sub-inspector Bibhuti Bhusan Roy, assistant sub-inspector of police Amir Ali, constable Sujan Chandra Roy, sub-inspector Tariqul Islam who prepared Sayeed鈥檚 inquest report, executive magistrate and assistant commissioner (land)聽 for Rangpur Ahmed Sadat, who put their signatures on the inquest report, the university鈥檚 lower class employee Nurunnabi and proctor office employee Rafiul Hasan Rasel.
The BRUR unit Chhatra League leaders named in the case include BCL president Pomel Barua, BCL general secretary Shamim Mahfuz, and organising secretary Dhanojoy Kumar Tagore.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
On August 18, 2024, Ramjan Ali also filed a complaint against the same 24 individuals with the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Rangpur over the killing of Abu Sayeed.
Earlier, the police had filed a murder case against unidentified individuals over Abu Sayeed鈥檚 death with the Tajhat police station on July 16, 2024.
The case over Abu Sayeed鈥檚 killing includes the second formal charge against Sheikh Hasina and the third case filed against her under the reconstituted two International Crimes Tribunals by the interim government led by Professor Mohammad Yunus.
According to prosecutors, Hasina鈥檚 name has appeared in hundreds of complaints involving enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other serious human rights violations during her 15-year rule. These complaints are still pending with the tribunal for investigation.
Hasina is also facing a trial in absentia in a case over contempt of court.
The hearing in the case over the killing of Abu Sayeed is scheduled for July. The tribunal-1 has appointed a Supreme Court lawyer as amicus curiae and a state defence lawyer to represent Hasina.
A separate case against Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun 鈥� linked to the July 2024 mass uprising 鈥� is set for a hearing on July 1.
The tribunal will decide whether to frame formal charges in that case.
Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim on Thursday said that the Chief Prosecutor鈥檚 Office had received 340 complaints related to crimes against humanity during the July鈥揂ugust 2024 uprising. Investigators have shortlisted 41 of these cases for detailed investigation.
So far, formal charges have been submitted in two of the 41 cases while arrest warrants have been sought in 22 cases, Tamim added.
One of the other major cases involves the capital city鈥檚 Chankharpool killings, where eight people, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman, have been charged.
The tribunal is scheduled to hear the Chankharpool case on Sunday.
