National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam on Thursday questioned the lack of arrests in enforced disappearance cases, despite serious allegations against high-ranking officials in the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence during the ousted Awami League regime.
Talking to journalists after giving his deposition as a prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case before the International Crimes Tribunal-1, Nahid, a key student coordinator of the July 2024 mass uprising, called on the authorities to uphold the law without yielding to political pressure.
He revealed that five former DGFI directors general named in complaints remained untouched.
On Thursday, he testified before the ICT-1 as the 47th prosecution witness in a case of crimes against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun for their command responsibility in the atrocities committed during the 2024 July uprising. Mamun has now turned a state evidence.
Testifying in the two-judge tribunal-1 chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Nahid further revealed that the students鈥� coalition on August 4, 2024 proposed Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus as the head of a possible interim government, should the existing regime be ousted.
鈥極n August 4, we declared a one-point demand鈥攖o remove the then government. We no longer recognise its legitimacy,鈥� Nahid told the tribunal, which adjourned the hearing until Sunday morning when he would face cross-examination by state-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain on behalf of two fugitive accused in the case, Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan.
Detained former IGP Mamun was present in the tribunal.
Nahid said that, following the declaration of a one-point demand, they began planning for a transitional administration. 鈥業n that context, we initially considered Professor Muhammad Yunus to lead the new government,鈥� he said.
Nahid, also a former information and broadcasting adviser to the interim government, said that they had contacted Yunus directly and sought his support during the political crisis.
鈥榃e told him, if our July movement succeeds and the government is removed, he may need to take the charge as the head of the new government,鈥� he added.
Nahid said that, on August 4, 2024, Mahfuj Alam, who is now an adviser to the ministry of information and broadcasting, on behalf of all the student coordinators, was assigned to maintain liaison with other student bodies and citizen bodies for the formation of a new government.
Nahid told later reporters, 鈥楳edia content is still controlled by the government. DGFI鈥檚 influence over news remains in place, just as before. On top of that, the media continues to be influenced by political parties and corporate interests.鈥�
Nahid accused Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman, and the heads of the police and other law enforcement agencies of bearing superior command responsibilities for crimes against humanity during the 2024 July mass uprising.
He also accused them, along with others involved, of taking part in the mass killing of protesters.
鈥楾his mass killing and torture were carried out on orders from Sheikh Hasina, the then head of the government, and home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, who oversaw law enforcement, in an attempt to cling to power,鈥� he said.
Nahid urged the tribunal to deliver justice by handing down the highest punishment to those responsible for the July atrocities to ensure justice for the victims.
Nahid further testified that DGFI officer Lieutenant Colonel Sarwar pressured him after visiting him at Ganashatha hospital in Dhaka to suspend the movement.
鈥極n July 23, 2024, DGFI took me from the hospital to a DRU press conference they had arranged. 鈥楾hey instructed me to announce the end of the movement and claim that I was being used by the BNP and Jamaat,鈥� he said.
Nahid said that he was blindfolded, handcuffed, and picked up from a friend鈥檚 house in the early hours of July 20, 2024. The men who took him claimed to be from the Detective Branch and used a microbus.
He said that he was held in a room for 24 hours, blindfolded and handcuffed the entire time. During the detention, he was tortured and repeatedly asked three questions.
The questions are 鈥榃ho are involved in the movement?鈥�, 鈥榃ho ordered the movement?鈥�, and 鈥榃hy hasn鈥檛 it been stopped?鈥�, he said.
Nahid said that he lost consciousness multiple times due to torture, and was told that he would never return to his family unless he publicly announced an end to the movement.
Nahid was released around the same time the next day鈥攕till blindfolded and handcuffed鈥攁nd dropped near a bridge at Purbachal on the Dhaka-Rupganj road.
Nahid said that he returned home after being released, and his family admitted him to Gonoshasthaya Hospital. There, he informed the media about his enforced disappearance.
He stated that, at the time of his abduction, fellow student coordinators Sarjis and Hasnat were already in the custody of the DGFI.
On July 26, Nahid, along with student coordinators Asif and Baker, was picked up by men identifying themselves as members of the Detective Branch.
They were taken to the DB headquarters in a microbus. DB chief Harun-Or-Rashid pressured them to end the movement and threatened to file cases if they didn鈥檛 comply.
鈥榃hen we refused, DB later picked up Sarjis, Hasnat, and another coordinator, Nusrat,鈥� Nahid said. 鈥楾hey were tortured to force them to withdraw the movement.鈥�
Harun then forced Nahid to read out a pre-written statement on camera. The video was later shared with the media.
鈥楾hey told us that they were acting on orders from prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan,鈥� Nahid said.
He also claimed that Harun proposed to take them to meet the prime minister. In protest, the student leaders went on a 30-hour hunger strike.
They were released on August 1, 2024, after falling seriously ill in DB custody.
On August 3, they began a non-cooperation movement.
On August 4, they held a street protest at Shahbagh and announced a 鈥楳arch to Dhaka鈥� programme for August 6.
Fearing arrests or another wave of enforced disappearances, they moved the march to August 5. By then, curfew had been imposed, and all internet and mobile networks were shut down.
鈥楢s we marched towards prime minister Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 residence on August 5, 2024, news reached us that she had resigned and left for India by helicopter,鈥� Nahid said.
He also heard that protesters had already entered the prime minister鈥檚 residence.
Nahid claimed that many students and civilians were killed at Chakharpool, Jatrabari, Uttara, and Ashulia as they tried to join the march on August 5, 2024.
