The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Wednesday set August 21 to decide whether it will frame charges of crimes against humanity against 16 accused in the Ashulia killings case.
All but one of the accused are police personnel in the case involving the killing of six protesters and the burning of their bodies on August 5, 2024 in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The three-member tribunal, comprising Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, Judge Manjurul Bashid, and Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, fixed the date after hearing arguments from lawyers for eight detained police personnel and state-appointed defence counsels for eight absconding accused.
Several defence lawyers admitted the killings took place but claimed that their clients were innocent, arguing that the police acted under orders from superior officers.
Defence counsel Amir Hossain submitted that the shooting orders came from deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the then home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, and the police chief.
The tribunal, however, strongly rebuked the state defence counsel, stating that a defence counsel cannot shift the blame to any co-accused in a case.
鈥楾he counsel must focus on defending his own client,鈥� instead of shifting blame to other accused in the same case,鈥� the tribunal said.
The detained accused are dismissed additional superintendent of police Abdullah Al Kafi, former additional SP Md Shahidul Islam, Detective Branch inspector Md Arafat Hossain Arju, sub-inspectors Arafat Uddin, Abdul Malek, and Sheikh Afzalul Haque, assistant sub-inspector Kamrul Hasan and former constable Mukul Chowkder.
The absconding accused are former independent lawmaker for Dhaka-12 Saiful Islam, former deputy inspector general of police Nurul Islam, former SP for Savar circle Asaduzzaman Ripon, former additional SP of Savar circle Saidul Islam, former Ashulia police station officer-in-charge AFM Sayeed Roni, former inspector (investigation) Md Masudur Rahman, former inspector (operation) Nirmul Kumar Das, former sub-inspector Biswajit Saha and local Juba League leader Rani Bhuiyan.
On July 3, chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam submitted formal charges against the 16 accused.
The tribunal also took cognizance of the charges against the 16 accused.
According to the complaint, on August 5, 2024, police opened fire on a protest in Ashulia, killing five people and severely injuring another. The bodies were allegedly loaded into a police van, doused with petrol, and set on fire. A total of 29 people were killed in Ashulia during the protest, the prosecution said.
The case is based on multiple complaints filed with the Chief Prosecutor鈥檚 Office.
The Investigation Agency began its probe on October 6, 2024.
