The International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) is set to deliver its verdict today in a crimes against humanity case over the killing of seven people during the July 2024 uprising in Dhaka’s Ashulia area.
Sixteen people, including former Awami League lawmaker Muhammad Saiful Islam and former Dhaka range deputy inspector general (DIG) Syed Nurul Islam, have been made accused in the case, which includes allegations that five victims were burned after death and that one person was set on fire while still alive.
The tribunal declared the case ready for verdict on January 20 after hearing final arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
This will be the first crimes against humanity verdict delivered by ICT-2, following two earlier verdicts by ICT-1.
During the trial, testimony from 24 prosecution witnesses was recorded out of 63 listed in the formal charge. One defence witness also testified before the tribunal.
Of the accused, eight are absconding while eight others are currently in custody.
Those on the run are former AL MP from Savar Saiful Islam; former Dhaka Range DIG Nurul Islam; former Dhaka superintendent of police Md Asaduzzaman Ripon; former Ashulia police officer-in-charge AFM Sayed; inspectors Muhammad Masudur Rahman and Nirmol Kumar Das; assistant sub-inspector Biswajit Saha; and Rony Bhuiyan, an aide to former MP Saiful.
Those in custody are former Savar circle additional superintendent of police Md Shahidul Islam; former Dhaka district additional SP Abdullahil Kafi; former Detective Branch inspector Arafat Hossain; former Ashulia sub-inspectors Arafat Uddin, Abdul Malek and Sheikh Abzalul Haque; former assistant sub-inspector Kamrul Hasan; and constable Mukul Chokder.
Among them, Sheikh Abzalul Haque has turned approver in the case.
According to the formal charge, 29 people were killed in Ashulia during the uprising. However, the charges in this case relate to the killing of one protester on August 4 and six others on August 5, 2024.
The August 5 incident involved five bodies and one injured person being set alight inside a police van.
The prosecution alleged that former MP Saiful Islam, former DIG Nurul Islam, then Dhaka SP Asaduzzaman Ripon, Additional SPs Abdullahil Kafi and Md Shahidul Islam, former OC AFM Sayed, and inspectors Masudur Rahman and Nirmol Kumar Das planned and supervised the crimes as part of a “joint criminal enterprise”.
They directed their subordinates -- including SIs Abdul Malek, Arafat, and Sheikh Abzalul Haque; ASIs Bishwajit Saha and Kamrul Hasan; and others -- to open fire on unarmed demonstrators in the Ashulia area.
The tribunal took the charges into cognisance on August 7 after prosecution urged to indict 16 people.
On August 21, the tribunal framed charges against all accused.
