Trial of 26 accused begins: charges ordered framed in case over killing of 11 including Mugdho
Photo: Collected
The International Crimes Tribunal has ordered the framing of charges against 26 accused. This crimes against humanity case was filed over the killing of 11 people, including Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, in the capital’s Uttara during the July mass uprising.
The order came on Sunday from International Crimes Tribunal-2. Along with it, 4 November has been fixed for the presentation of the opening statement and the recording of testimony.
A hearing in the case was held earlier on 9 September. That day prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim took part in the hearing for the prosecution, while lawyer M Liton Ahmed appeared for the defence. State-appointed lawyers Md Amir Hossain and M Hasan Imam stood for the absconding accused.
Of the 26 accused, eight are now in jail, one of them being former additional superintendent of police Mirza Salauddin. The remaining 18 accused are absconding; among them are former member of parliament Habib Hasan, former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman and former DC of the Uttara division Kazi Ashraful Azim.
Two charges have been formally brought in this case. The first states that on 18 July 2024 Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, a student of Bangladesh University of Professionals, was distributing water and biscuits among the protesting students and people in Uttara Sector 3, and was also helping to take people injured in the mass uprising to hospital for treatment. He was shot at that time. When fellow protesters took him to Uttara Crescent Hospital, doctors declared him dead. On the same day in the Uttara area, Zahiduzzaman Tanvin, Sheikh Fahmin Zafar, Md Shakil Hossain, Md Sabbir Hossain and Sajib Sarkar were shot dead. Uber driver Mokhlesur Rahman Durjoy was also killed in Uttara that day; he was crushed under the rear wheel of an APC (armoured vehicle).
According to charge number two, Ridwan Sharif, Md Sabbir Islam, Md Asadullah and Naima Sultana were shot dead in the Uttara area on 19 July 2024.
