Two key witnesses on Wednesday testified before the International Crimes Tribunal-1, implicating the police, Begum Rokeya University officials, and Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders in the killing of student protester Abu Sayeed during the July 2024 anti-discrimination movement.
The tribunal of Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmood, and retired judge Md Mohitul Haque Anan Chowdhury recorded the testimonies of Rina Murmu, a fellow protester and a BRUR master鈥檚 student during the protests, and AKM Moinul Haque, a Rangpur-based journalist of a private television channel who covered the demonstration live.
With the latest two, the tribunal has so far recorded testimonies from five prosecution witnesses.
It has scheduled August 17 to hear further witness depositions in the case, the first ICT trial linked to the 2024 July uprising.
Rina, a member of the indigenous Santal community and a co-organiser in the Students Against Discrimination movement, told the tribunal that, on July 16, 2024, the police backed by the Chhatra League activists and the university authorities used force to disperse thousands of student demonstrators marching peacefully toward the BRUR campus from Rangpur city.
She testified that she, then a final-year student, witnessed Abu Sayeed standing alone with his arms outstretched near the Dhaka鈥揜angpur Highway when two police officers shot him from close range as he attempted to enter the campus.
Rina submitted that she witnessed the shooting from a nearby tea stall where she took shelter after being dispersed, like Abu Sayeed and many others, from the university鈥檚 main gate.
She later identified police personnel Amir and Sujan as the shooters.
Rina said that Abu Sayeed had earlier been beaten by Chhatra League members before being shot. His fellow student Ayan tried to rescue him, but Sayeed was later declared dead at Rangpur Medical College Hospital at about 3:30pm.
鈥業 want justice for the killing of so many students. Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Chhatra League leaders, and the university administration must be held accountable for Abu Sayeed鈥檚 murder during our lawful and peaceful protest,鈥� Rina, now a job seeker, said during her testimony.
Facing the cross-examination, Rina acknowledged that she was unaware whether formal charges had been filed against the Chhatra League or BRUR officials specifically for the murder.
Prosecutor Mizanul Islam later told the tribunal that the then BRUR vice-chancellor Hasibur Rashid and 29 others including 11 staff and teachers of the university, eight police members, nine BCL leaders and a doctor were facing trial in a case over Abu Sayeed murder.
Deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and the then inspector general of police Chowhury Abdullah Al Mamun, however, were made accused in a separate case of command responsibility for orchestrating and allowing widespread violence and torture during the student-led uprising.
Hasina and Asaduzzaman are reported to be in hiding in India and they were represented by the tribunal-appointed state defence lawyer.
Journalist AKM Moinul Haque, who covered the protest for NTV, said that he witnessed the police opening fire on Sayeed.
He submitted original video footage, which was played in the courtroom, showing Sayeed collapsing after being shot.
The defence challenged the footage, suggesting that it might have been artificial intelligence-generated, a claim Moinul rejected.
Moinul testified that the protest was obstructed not only by the police but also by Chhatra League leaders and university officials loyal to the Awami League regime.
He said that he saw a young man in a black T-shirt and pants, later identified as Abu Sayeed, who was shot at close range while standing with his arms outstretched on a road divider near the university gate.
Mamun, previously an accused, has turned into state evidence and agreed to testify against his co-accused.
Abu Sayeed鈥檚 death, captured in video footage that went viral nationwide, became a defining image of the movement, triggering widespread outrage and accelerating calls for justice.
