13 army officers brought to tribunal

Thirteen army officers have been brought before the International Crimes Tribunal in two separate cases filed over crimes against humanity related to enforced disappearances and torture during the Awami League government. They were brought in a green prison van of Bangladesh Jail at 10:00am today, Sunday.

There are a total of 17 accused in total in the case filed over keeping people disappeared inside the Taskforce for Interrogation Cell (TFI Cell). Of them, 10 have been arrested. They are: Brigadier General Md Jahangir Alam, Brigadier General Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Brigadier General Md Kamrul Hasan, Brigadier General Md Mahabub Alam, Brigadier General KM Azad, Colonel Abdullah Al Momen, Colonel Anwar Latif Khan (on PRL), Lieutenant Colonel Md Mashiur Rahman, Lieutenant Colonel Saiful Islam Sumon, and Lieutenant Colonel Md Sarwar Bin Kashem.

During the ousted Awami League government, the first seven of these accused served as Additional Directors General of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), while the last three served as Directors of RAB’s intelligence wing. They were brought to the tribunal today.

Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former prime minister’s adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and four others in this case remain fugitives.

In another case filed over enforced disappearances inside the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), 13 people have been accused. Among them, three have been arrested. They are former Directors of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, and Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Mazahar Siddiqui.

They, too, were brought to the tribunal today.

In this second case as well, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former prime minister’s adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and eight others are fugitives.

Earlier, on 22 October, the arrested accused were produced before the tribunal.