The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday concluded the trial of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun in a crimes against humanity case filed over their superior command responsibility for atrocities committed across the country during the July 2024 uprising.
The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, said that the tribunal would fix a date on November 13 to pronounce its verdict in the case.
The tribunal wrapped up the proceedings in the case after hearing closing arguments from attorney general Md Asaduzzaman and chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam.
Both the attorney general and the chief prosecutor sought death sentences for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan.
They argued that聽 exemplary punishment was necessary to prevent any future government from committing similar atrocities against the people using the state apparatus.
The prosecution, however, did not seek any punishment for former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, who turned a state鈥檚 evidence in the case, and left his fate to the tribunal.
Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan are still in hiding and faced the trial in absentia.
Detained ex-IGP Mamun was in the dock.
State-appointed defence counsel Amir Hossain, representing the deposed prime minister and former home minister, sought his clients鈥� acquittal, arguing that the prosecution had failed to prove the elements of widespread and systematic attacks or superior command responsibilities as defined under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, and relevant provisions of the Rome Statute and Geneva Conventions.
Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman, in his closing arguments, said that the prosecution had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that state forces, acting under the direction of Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, killed and injured protesters during the July 2024 uprising.
鈥榃e are here to discharge our duty to history. This trial will stand as a milestone, just as the trials of Oliver Cromwell in 1661 or those of leaders in China and Japan who faced justice for crimes against humanity,鈥� he said, submitting a list of global leaders tried for similar offences.
He said that the key question was who ordered the killings and noted that both accused fled the country soon after the uprising, which, he argued, was strong circumstantial evidence of their guilt.
The attorney general said that Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan held absolute control over state machinery and must take responsibility for the 36-day crackdown that left about 1,400 people dead and more than 25,000 injured. He added that 3,05,311 rounds of bullets were fired across the country, including 95,313 rounds in Dhaka.
He further alleged that the accused continued to issue instructions from abroad to obstruct the ongoing trial, showing their consciousness of guilt.
The attorney general said that the confessional statement of former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, now a state witness, was supported by witnesses鈥� testimony and evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial.
He urged the tribunal to punish Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan in line with international justice standards, saying that failure to do so would be an injustice to the victims and the state.
The attorney general also criticised rights groups for questioning the tribunal鈥檚 fairness, saying that the court ensured due process by appointing defence lawyers for the absconding accused.
He concluded that the July killings amounted to genocide-like crimes against humanity and that the prosecution had proved who committed those and how.
On July 10, the tribunal took cognisance of five charges against Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan, and Mamun.
The first charge says that Hasina incited violence by calling the protesters 鈥榮ons and grandchildren of Razakars鈥� at a press conference on July 14, 2024.
Following her remark, Awami League and Chhatra League activists allegedly attacked protesters across the country.
The second charge alleges Hasina later that night ordered Dhaka University vice-chancellor Professor ASM Maksud Kamal to 鈥榟ang or kill鈥� the protesters and directed the police, RAB, and BGB to take lethal action.
She allegedly instructed Dhaka South City mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh to use live fire, drones, and helicopters against unarmed demonstrators.
The third charge accuses the trio of ordering the killing of Abu Sayeed, a student leader of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, on July 16, 2024. Police and ruling party activists allegedly opened fire on unarmed protesters, and Sayeed was shot dead.
Officials later tried to cover up the killing by filing a false case and altering the autopsy report.
The fourth charge involves the killing of six unarmed protesters during the 鈥楳arch to Dhaka鈥� on August 5, 2024. Prosecutors say that the attack was part of a systematic assault on civilians, amounting to crimes against humanity.
The fifth charge alleges that on the same day, the police and ruling party men under DIG Syed Nurul Islam and MP Mohammad Saiful Islam killed and burned five protesters alive near Ashulia Police Station. Another injured protester was reportedly thrown into the fire while still alive.
The ICT Investigation Agency submitted its report to the chief prosecutor鈥檚 office on May 12, and chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam pressed the charges before the tribunal on June 1.
