The prosecution on Thursday submitted crimes against humanity charges against detained Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal鈥揓asod president Hasanul Haq Inu for his alleged role in the violent crackdown on the July uprising protesters.
Prosecutor Mizanul Islam submitted the charges to the International Crimes Tribunal-2, chaired by retired High Court judge Nozrul Islam Chowdhury.
The tribunal set September 28 for a hearing to decide whether the charges would be formally framed against Inu, also a former information and broadcasting minister and a senior leader of the Awami League-led alliance.
The tribunal also directed jail authorities to produce Inu before the tribunal on that day.
This is the first crimes against humanity case filed against Inu. He is also the first detained politician to face such charges for command responsibility during the uprising that ousted the Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.
As of August 3, 2025, prisons are holding 165 high-profile individuals accused in July鈥揂ugust cases, according to additional inspector general of prisons Jahangir Kabir.
The first trial related to the July crackdown, killings and other crimes against fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and detained former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun has reached its final stage. A total of 53 prosecution witnesses have given depositions in the case. Mamun later turned a state evidence in the case.
Inu was arrested on August 26, 2024, by a team of the Detective Branch at an apartment in the capital鈥檚 Uttara area.
His arrest followed a murder case filed on August 21, 2024 with New Market Police Station, over the killing of a protester during the uprising.
According to the prosecutor, eight charges were submitted to the ICT-2, implicating Inu in a wide-ranging conspiracy involving senior Awami League leaders, local party leaders, and law enforcement agencies to suppress a nationwide movement demanding the resignation of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The first charge relates to a July 18, 2024 interview with India-based Mirror Now, where Inu urged the government to use force against protesters, portraying them as 鈥楤NP, Jamaat, criminals, and communal.鈥�
According to the second charge, Inu attended a July 19, 2024 meeting at Ganabhaban that decided to deploy the army and impose a curfew with shoot-on-sight powers.
The third charge alleges that Inu phoned the Kushtia superintendent of police on July 20, 2024 ordering the police to identify, track, and act against protesters using photos. He approved both torture and killings.
The fourth charge states that Inu conspired with Hasina to use the army, helicopters, and bombings to block and attack protesters. He supported Hasina鈥檚 decision to declare a curfew on July 20, 2024 and to use deadly force.
According to the fifth charge, on July 27, 2024, Inu made inflammatory remarks in an interview with News24, again terming the protesters 鈥楤NP-Jamaat鈥� and supporting the use of curfew and lethal weapons.
The sixth charge says that Inu was present at a July 29, 2024 meeting, chaired by Hasina, where protesters were labeled as BNP, Jamaat, criminals and communal forces allegedly intending to delegitimise the movement and justify repression.
According to the seventh charge, Inu maintained close contact with Hasina and played a key role in approving a curfew on August 4, 2024, which included shoot-at-sight orders. The curfew was part of a broader plan to violently suppress the movement by labeling protesters as 鈥榚xtremists鈥� and justifying the use of lethal weapons.
According to the eighth charge, on August 5, 2024, under the leadership and coordination of Inu and others, Awami League leaders and activists opened fire on unarmed protesters in Kushtia, with assistance and cover from the police.
Between 1:30pm and 4:00pm, six people were shot dead in separate incidents across Kushtia.
Of the victims, labourer Ashraful Islam was killed near Bak Square, Suruz Ali Babu on Barmiz Lane, students Abdullah Al Mustakin and Md Usama at Haripur-bound Road鈥檚 Arot, trader Babul Farazi on at Tula Patti Lane, and job holder Yunus near the Fire Service office. They had been participating in or supporting the 鈥楳arch to Dhaka鈥� programme called by student protesters.
On August 5, 2024, following a coordinated plan and orders from senior Awami League leaders and local party figures, ruling party activists, some acting alongside the police, opened fire on unarmed protesters in Kushtia.
The alleged conspiracy involved Awami League joint secretary general and former lawmaker Mahbubul Alam Hanif, AL-led alliance leader Hasanul Haq Inu, Kushtia AL president Md Sadar Uddin Khan, general secretary Md Ali Asgar Ali, and Kushtia town AL general secretary Ataur Rahman Ata.
Leaders and activists from AL and its affiliated organizations, including Ajoy Surekha, Manab Chaki, Atikur Rahman Anik, Sheikh Hafiz Challenge, Rashidul Islam Biplob, Toiyob Badsha, Taizal Ali Khan, and Swapan Kumar, were also named in the plan.