The 5 charges brought against Sheikh Hasina, two others
A total of five charges have been brought against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two other accused in the case involving crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising.
The five charges are: delivering inciting speeches; ordering the use of lethal weapons to suppress and eliminate protesters; the shooting and killing of Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur; the shooting and killing of six protesters in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area; burning six people to death in Ashulia.
Alongside Sheikh Hasina, the other two accused in the case are former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Among the three, Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman are fugitives; both are currently in India.
The five charges are: delivering inciting speeches; ordering the use of lethal weapons to suppress and eliminate protesters; the shooting and killing of Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur; the shooting and killing of six protesters in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area; burning six people to death in Ashulia.
The verdict in this case is scheduled to be announced today, Monday. Proceedings from the courtroom of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 are expected to be broadcast live. This is the first verdict in a case filed over killings and other crimes against humanity committed during the mass uprising.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mazumder will deliver the verdict. The other tribunal members are Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
At a briefing on the tribunal premises yesterday, Sunday, prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim said the prosecution has been able to prove all five charges against the accused beyond reasonable doubt. He added that the prosecution will accept whatever judgment the tribunal delivers in the interest of justice.
He also said that the portion of the verdict to be read out in court will be broadcast live with the tribunal’s permission.
Bangladesh Police’s National Central Bureau (NCB) had earlier applied to Interpol for issuing a red notice against Sheikh Hasina.
Prosecutor Monawar said that if the tribunal convicts Sheikh Hasina, the prosecution will submit another request to Interpol—this time for a “conviction warrant”—to seek the issuance of a red notice following the sentencing.