Brig Gen (retd) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, a victim of enforced disappearance, yesterday testified before the before International Crimes Tribunal-1 for the second consecutive day, and concluded his deposition as the third prosecution witness in a case filed over the enforced disappearances of 24 individuals.
The victims were subjected to enforced disappearance and custodial torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell, allegedly operated by the Directorate General of the Forces Intelligence (DGFI) during the Awami League regime.
Azmi, also son of late Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam, said in September last year, four accused former DGFI officials -- Maj Gen Kabir, Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brig Gen Md Mahbub Rahman Siddique and Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddique -- met him at his residence and sought his help in connection with the case.
All four had served as directors of the Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Bureau (CTIB) under the DGFI during the period when Azmi was allegedly held in secret detention for eight years at the Aynaghar of the DGFI’s JIC.
When asked by prosecutor Mizanul Islam, Azmi identified three of them -- Major General Sarwar and Brigediar Gennerals Mahbub and Tanvir -- who were present in the dock.
He also told the tribunal that during their meeting, the former officials had claimed they were unable to free him from detention as they were “lower-ranked officials”.
He further said that during detention he was questioned about why he frequently wrote against India on Facebook, and whether he had links with Jamaat-e-Islami.
Azim said he had asked the officials whether they intended to kill him. “They angrily replied, ‘If we wanted to kill you, we would have taken you to a canal or a field and killed you long ago’,” he added.
Azmi also said that in September 2024, at an event, the army chief had assured him that punitive action would be taken against the DGFI officials responsible for his abduction, enforced disappearance, and illegal detention.
Azmi demanded justice for the harrowing ordeal he was subjected to for eight years.
The tribunal fixed February 5 for his cross-examination.
