Three new prosecution witnesses (PWs) have testified at International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 in a crimes against humanity case filed over the killings of six innocent people in the city's Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024.
Today Rahima Akter, mother of martyr Md Yakub and his uncle Shahid Ahammed testified in the case. After that Md Mohibul Haque, elder brother of martyr Md Ismamul Haque, submitted his deposition. The three witnesses demanded justice over the death of their loved ones and pleaded for exemplary punishment for all the accused including the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
At the end of today's proceedings, by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, chairman of the three-member panel of the ICT-1, adjourned the hearing till August 20.
Prosecutors Mizanul Islam took part in today's hearing.
Earlier on August 12, Shaikh Burhanuddin Post Graduate College teacher Anjuara Yasmin testified as second prosecution witness (PW) and was later cross-examined by the defence. Later, July Mass Uprising martyr Sheikh Mehedi Hasan Junayed's father Sheikh Jamal Hasan testified as third prosecution witness.
Earlier on August 11, Shahriar Khan Palash, father of martyr Shahriar Khan Anas, testified as PW-1, narrating heart-wrenching incidents of August 5, 2024, when his son along with five other innocent people were brutally killed by the law enforcers in the Chankharpul area.
Before the submission of his deposition, ICT Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam placed opening statement in the case.
The first tribunal on July 14 framed charges against eight accused in a crimes against humanity case filed over the killings of six innocent people in the city's Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024.
The prosecution, led by Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam on July 3 had argued for framing charges against the accused, while the defence counsels moved their discharge petitions for their clients.
Advocate Saddam Hossain Ovy argued for accused Inspector Arshad, Barrister Sifat Mahmud for constable Md Sujon, Advocate Shibli Sadekin for constable Imaj Hossain Emon, Advocate Abul Hasan for constable Nasirul Islam and state-appointed counsel Advocate Md Kutubuddin defended four fugitive accused at the tribunal.
The ICT-1 on June 3 ordered authorities concerned to publish a notice in two national dailies, asking the four fugitive accused to appear before it. The four fugitive accused are former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former DMP Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam and former Assistant Commissioner of DMP's Ramna Zone Mohammad Imrul.
The notice was published on the next day. The four fugitives, however, remained absent, prompting the tribunal to appoint Advocate Md Kutubuddin as the state's defence to defend the accused.
The prosecution on May 25 filed the formal charge against eight in the crimes against humanity case lodged over the killings of six innocent people in the city's Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024. It was the maiden formal charge filed at the ICT in the cases lodged over the July-August mass uprising.
Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Mahdi Hasan Zunayed, Md Yakub, Md Rakib Hawlader, Md Ismamul Haque and Manik Miah were martyred in Chankharpul area on that day (August 5).
The investigation agency of the tribunal filed the 90-page probe report on April 20 last.
