The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Tuesday concluded hearing arguments in the crimes against humanity case over the killing of six protesters in Ashulia during the July 2024 mass uprising.

After completing the hearing, the three-member tribunal, headed by retired High Court judge Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, announced that the verdict in the case would be delivered at a later date once it was ready.

The case involves the shooting of protesters and the burning of five bodies, while one victim was set on fire alive.

Former independent lawmaker for Dhaka-19, Muhammad Saiful Islam, and 15 former police officers are accused in the case.

On September 22, 2025 the tribunal started the trial and recorded depositions of 24 prosecution witnesses and one defence witness.

On August 21, 2025, the tribunal framed charges against the accused persons.

Eight detained accused were present in the tribunal.

Among the accused, former Ashulia police sub-inspector Sheikh Afzalul Haque earlier admitted to his link to the killing of protesters and the burning of six bodies on August 5, 2024.

The identified victims include Sajjad Hossain (Sajal), As Sabur, Tanzil Mahmud Sujoy, Bayezid Bustami, and Abul Hossain.

Afzal testified as a state witness, disclosing the truth of the case.

The seven other detained accused in the Ashulia case are dismissed additional superintendent of police Abdullah Al Kafi, former additional SP Md Shahidul Islam, Detective Branch inspector Md Arafat Hossain Arju, sub-inspectors Arafat Uddin and Abdul Malek, ASI Kamrul Hasan and former constable Mukul Chowkder.

The eight fugitive accused include former MP Saiful Islam, former deputy inspector general of police Nurul Islam, former SP Asaduzzaman Ripon, former additional SP Saidul Islam, former Ashulia police station officer-in-charge AFM Sayeed Roni, its former inspector (investigation) Mohammad Masudur Rahman, former inspector (operation) Nirmal Kumar Das, former ASI Biswajit Saha and one Rani Bhuiyan.

The chief prosecutor’s office received multiple complaints after the incident.

The ICT investigation agency opened its probe on October 6, 2024.

The prosecution submitted formal charges in the case to the tribunal on July 3, 2025.

According to the report, the accused burned the bodies of the six protesters, putting them together on a police vehicle, allegedly in an attempt to blame the killings on ordinary students and the public.

One of the accused threw a burning cigarette or a dry piece of wood onto the bodies of six protesters already on fire.

According to a witness who testified in the tribunal, on August 5, 2024, former lawmaker Saiful Islam, along with his armed supporters and police officers, opened fire on student protesters and civilians in Ashulia around 1:00pm.

He said 20 to 25 people were killed and many others were injured in the attack.

He further testified that after 2:00pm, even though the government had already resigned, children brought out a procession.

As the procession passed by Ashulia police station, police allegedly opened fire and continued shooting until about 4:00pm.

The police left the area at about 4:30pm after firing indiscriminately.

The witness said he remained there until evening and later learnt that the bodies were burnt and left near Baipile Mosque that night.

He said students from Jahangirnagar University reached the mosque after midnight on August 6, followed by a military team around 2:00am.

The witness said he helped unload six bodies, wrapped them in polybags, and offered funeral prayers.

He added that four bodies were identified and handed over to their families, while two unidentified bodies were buried at Amtola. Later, the bodies were identified through DNA tests.