Crimes against humanity: Formal trial begins in Abu Sayed murder case

The formal trial has commenced in the crimes against humanity case concerning the killing of Abu Sayed, the first martyr of the July Uprising and a student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur.

The proceedings began at International Crimes Tribunal-2 with the presentation of the opening statement on Wednesday.

The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, heard the opening statement delivered by Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam.

In his address, Tajul described Abu Sayed as the “phoenix” of the July Movement and the “vanguard” of the July martyrs.

The other two tribunal members are Justice Md Manjurul Basid and Justice Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir. Testimony is scheduled to commence Thursday.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Begum Rokeya University, Md Hasibur Rashid, along with 30 others, has been indicted in the case. Of them, 24 accused, including the former Vice-Chancellor, remain absconding.

The remaining six—former Proctor Shariful Islam, former Assistant Registrar Rafiul Hasan, former contractual employee at the Registrar’s Office Anwar Parvez, former Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police Amir Hossain, former Constable Sujan Chandra Roy, and banned Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Imran Chowdhury alias Akash—were produced before the tribunal yesterday.

On 16 July last year, Abu Sayed was shot dead during the anti-discrimination students’ protests in Rangpur.

The video footage of his killing shocked the entire nation. It showed him standing on the road with arms outstretched, as police repeatedly fired into his chest. The incident became a turning point for the movement, unleashing outrage across the country.

The tribunal’s investigation agency submitted its report against the 30 accused on 24 June this year. On 6 August, formal charges were framed.

Aside from the Abu Sayed case, two further trials on crimes against humanity during the uprising are underway.

In one of the cases, concerning deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, 29 witnesses have so far testified.

In another case, relating to atrocities in the capital’s Chankharpul area, testimony continues against former Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman, with eight witnesses examined to date.

In his opening statement, Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam recounted that on 16 July, as the protest march advanced from Lalbagh towards Begum Rokeya University, heavily armed police forces obstructed the students.

Under the command of then Assistant Commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police, Md Arifuzzaman, five policemen struck Abu Sayed on the head with steel and wooden batons, causing him to bleed.

He said former ASI Amir Hossain fired the first shot, hitting Abu Sayed in the abdomen. Though stunned, Sayed once again spread his arms and stood firm. At that point, former Constable Sujan Chandra Roy shot him twice more in the chest, causing him to collapse across the road divider.

As fellow students tried to carry him away, protester Tawhidur Haque sustained about 60 shotgun pellets. Abu Sayed died en route to hospital, in the arms of his comrades.

Among the 24 absconding accused are former VC Hasibur Rashid, former Associate Professors Moshiur Rahman and Asaduzzaman Mondol, physician Sarwar Hossain (Chandon), former RPMP Commissioner Md Moniruzzaman, former Deputy Commissioner Abu Maruf Hossain, former Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Nur Alam Patowary, former AC Md Arifuzzaman, University Chhatra League President Pomel Barua, and General Secretary Md Mahafuzur Rahman.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam argued that the trial could not be stalled by their deliberate absence or asylum abroad. “Even in absentia, justice is not compromised. Under the law, this tribunal retains full authority to deliver verdicts against the absconding accused.”

The Chief Prosecutor further claimed that then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had already issued direct orders to fire upon students and protesters, as revealed in her telephone conversation with former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal. He read the transcript aloud to the tribunal.

In the call, Sheikh Hasina said, “What kind of country do we live in? Did you not see what happened to the collaborators? We hanged every last one of them, and I will not spare these either.”

Maksud Kamal replied: “Yes, once this unrest is over, I myself will expel from the university those at the core of this instability.”

Hasina continued: “All of them must be ousted… I am telling you, after today’s tolerance, arrests will follow, and necessary action will be taken. In England, when students take to the streets for politics, did they not kill several of them outright?”

Maksud Kamal said, “Yes, yes, yes.”

Then Sheikh Hasina said, “There is no alternative to action. We have been far too tolerant… it has come this far.”

Recalling the rise of autocrats across history, Tajul Islam said, “Sheikh Hasina is the latest addition to the roll of fascists. Today we stand before you seeking justice against her accomplices.”

“Through blueprint elections, ‘Lailatul Elections’ and sham contests of ‘Me versus Dummy’, the past 17 years witnessed murders, enforced disappearances, and political persecution institutionalised on Bangladeshi soil. We are the petitioners of that justice, and you are its arbiters. We demand this trial be remembered as a benchmark of justice on the nation’s civilisational ladder, ensuring no one can commit genocide in tomorrow’s Bangladesh,” he added.

He reminded the court, “History shows autocrats flee. In Bangladesh, we have seen not only the dictator abscond, but also her 300 MPs, her Cabinet, mosque Imams, and even judges who once declared themselves sworn politicians—all fled.”

This trial, he stressed, was not about settling old political scores, but about establishing a fair and impartial judicial system that anchors the State on a just and firm foundation.

Meanwhile, in another case of crimes against humanity committed during the Uprising in Gauripur of Mymensingh, two police members—former Sub-Inspector Shafiqul Alam and former ASI Delwar Hossain—were ordered to be sent to jail yesterday.

Both had already been detained in other cases. Brought before the tribunal, Prosecutor Abdus Sattar petitioned that they be shown arrested in this case as well and sent to prison, a request the tribunal granted. The deadline for submission of the investigation report in this case has been fixed for 28 September.