73pc of complaints are related to killings during mass uprising

The office of chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal has registered more than 180 complaints in the last three months. Analysing some 153 of these complaints, it has been found that 73 per cent of the complaints were lodged over the killings during the mass uprising that ousted the Awami League government after 16 years.

Besides, 23 per cent of the complaints were related to enforced disappearances and killings carried out during the 15-year-rule of the Awami League.

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been named among the accused in 94 of these 153 cases. The accused in these cases also include former Awami League ministers, state ministers, adviser to the former prime minister, former lawmakers, leaders of Awami League and its associate bodies, top leaders of the 14-Party-Alliance, former and serving bureaucrats, former and serving members of law enforcement agencies and former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal.

These 153 complaints were lodged within 8 September to 4 December. Analysing these complaints, it has been found that 111 of these complaints were filed over killings during the mass uprising. Besides, 38 complaints were filed over enforced disappearances and killing under the rule of Awami League government.

Of the remaining four, one was filed seeking exemption from a case filed over crime against humanity during the liberation war.

Sources at the office of the chief prosecutor say it is not possible to directly file cases over genocide and crime against humanity at the International Crimes Tribunal. The victims have to file complaints at the office of the chief prosecutor first. Besides, complaints can be filed to the investigation agency under the chief prosecutor.

According to the rule, the investigation agency under the chief prosecutor’s office verifies the complaints first. If the investigators found evidence supporting the complaint, then the chief prosecutor files cases with the tribunal.

The chief prosecutor has filed a total of seven cases so far with the tribunal. Five of these cases were filed over killings during the mass uprising and two were filed over enforced disappearance.

Sheikh Hasina has been accused of genocide during the uprising, enforced disappearances, killings and crimes against humanity. She has been termed as the ‘nucleus’ of these crimes to the tribunal by chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam.

Obaidul Quader and 44 others were accused in another case filed in connection to the crimes committed during the mass uprising. The other accused in the case include former Awami League ministers, state ministers and lawmakers.

In another case, former top officials of law enforcement agencies, including former IGP Abdullah Al-Mamun, were made accused. Besides, former additional superintendent of police (ASP) in Barishal range Md Alep Uddin and former superintendent of police (SP) at the Rangamati Police Special Training School Md Mohiuddin Faruki have been accused in two cases filed over enforced disappearances.

The Awami League government was forced to resign in the face of a mass uprising of students and people on 5 August. The trials over the enforced disappearances and killings under the Awami League rule are underway at the International Crimes Tribunal. The tribunal was formed for trials of crimes against humanity committed during the liberation war in 1971.

Farhan , a student of Dhaka Residential Model College, was shot dead in the capital’s Dhanmondi area during a demonstration on 18 July.  A complaint was filed over the incident for the first time in early September. Faiyaz’s father Shahidul Islam filed the complaint.

Among the others from the Sheikh family who have been accused of committing crimes against humanity are Sheikh Rehana, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Sayma Wazed Putul, Tulip Siddique and Radwan Mujib Siddique.

Among the former ministers and state ministers who have been accused in these cases are Obaidul Quader, AKM Mozammel Haque, Asaduzzaman Khan, Anisul Huq, Hasan Mahmud, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Hasanul Haque Inu, Rashed Khan Menon, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzaque, Faruk Khan, Shajahan Khan, Matia Chowdhury (late), Dipu Moni, Kamrul Islam, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Junaid Ahmed, Mohammad Ali Arafat and Kamal Ahmed Majumder and advisers to the former prime ministers Salman F Rahman and Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury.

International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud told Prothom Alo, “All the complaints are under investigation now. No one will be sued if the complaints are not proven during the primary investigation.”

*This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu