The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has received another complaint of genocide and crimes against humanity over Hefazat-e-Islam’s protest at Shapla Chattar in the city’s Motijheel area in 2013 against more than 50 people including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The other prominent accused in the complaint are- the then Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, then State Minister for Home Affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, then Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, former Army Chief Aziz Ahmed,
then prime minister's defence adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddiqui, former ICT prosecutor Tureen Afroz, Dhaka University’s professor Muntasir Mamun and journalist Shahriar Kabir.
President of Dhaka city unit of Hefazat-e-Islam Maulana Zunaid Al Habib submitted the complaint to the chief prosecutor of the tribunal on Tuesday.
Tribunal prosecutor SM Mainul Karim said that the complaint had been filed but could not provide the names of the other suspects immediately. “We have received a complaint over Shapla Chattar incident. Though they have brought murder and genocide charges against the accused, we have found elements of crimes against humanity in the complaint and would proceed accordingly,” said ICT Prosecutor SM Mainul Karim.
He further said Iffat Ara Begum, mother of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Rehan Ahsan, who was allegedly killed in the law enforcement agencies' operation on that day, has also filed a complaint over the murder of her son and the prosecution would proceed with the two complaints collectively.
“Those heartbreaking scenes on May 5 in 2013 at Shapla Chattar made all the conscientious people across the globe cry. The way they carried out the massacre by removing the media people from the scene, shutting off the electricity supply, I was there and have witnessed those firsthand. We are carrying those sad memories for a decade,” said Hefazat leader Maulana Mamunul Haque.
Earlier on August 20, the Hefazat-e-Islam sought an investigation by the International Crimes Tribunal into genocide during its Dhaka rally in 2013 against Sheikh Hasina and others.
Supreme Court lawyer Gazi MH Tamim, who is currently an ICT prosecutor, filed the complaint at the tribunal’s investigation agency office in Dhanmondi.
Hefazat-e-Islam was formed back in 2010. The organisation came to the forefront with their demands to punish atheist bloggers after the Ganajagaran Mancha was floated in 2013.
On May 5 in 2013, Hefazat-e-Islam leaders and activists blocked six entrances to the capital and took positions at Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar. Clashes between police and the activists continued throughout the day.
On that night, the Hefazat men were cleared out from Motijheel in an operation by security forces.
According to a report by a human rights organisation called ‘Odhikar,’ as many as 61 people were killed during the raid at Shapla Chattar. Hefazat-e-Islam, however, demanded hundred of their men were killed during the operation.
However, police claimed that no one was killed during the crackdown, and only 11 died amid the day-long conflict.
Later, due to the confusion about the number of victims, Detective Branch (DB) filed a general diary with Gulshan Police Station on August 10 in 2013, and the complaint was later registered as a case.
On September 14 in 2023, Odhikar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and Director Nasir Uddin Elan were sentenced to two years in prison in that case. However, both of them were released on bail after a month.
Adilur Rahman Khan now serves the interim government as the industries, and housing and public works adviser.
The 24-member advisory council of the interim government also include former Hefazat-e Islam Nayeb-e-Amir AFM Khalid Hasan.
