Dhaka [Bangladesh], October 24 (ANI): Bangaldesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has concluded its trial proceedings against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, allegedly of crimes against humanity, and has scheduled the announcement of its verdict on November 13, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Former PM Sheikh Hasina is facing trial for crimes against humanity for allegedly being part of torturing multiple people and orchestrating disappearances during the Awami League regime. Hasina was forced to flee after the student-led uprising in August 2024 ousted her. Afterwards, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took over as head of an interim government.
The Dhaka Tribune reported earlier on Thursday that Hasina’s state-appointed lawyer, Md Amir Hossain, said the former PM did not flee in connection with the case over crimes against humanity committed during the anti-discrimination student movement in 2024; instead, she was forced to leave. Following her ouster, she stayed in India, atleast for a while.
“In the context of the statement given today by the Attorney General, I have provided two answers. He wants to say that my accused has fled. I have said, my accused did not flee. She (Sheikh Hasina) did not want to leave this country–it has been reported in various newspapers and everywhere. Sheikh Hasina also said, ‘If necessary, give me the soil here, kill me, still I will not go.’ But the situation became such that she was forced to go. She left by helicopter. The people of the country saw it. She did not leave, hiding like a thief. However, I have defended this issue of leaving,” he said, as quoted by Dhaka Tribune.
“It has been claimed that my accuser wanted to destroy a generation. For an act to be considered a crime against humanity, there must be an intent or effort to annihilate a community, nation, or group; in such a case, people must be killed, as Hitler did. In the case of Jews, both genocide and crimes against humanity apply. But here, that does not apply. This is my main point. So, just as the plaintiff side seeks justice, the accused side also seeks justice. But the responsibility to ensure justice lies with the tribunal. They will ensure it, which I hope the people of the country and the world will witness,” he added.
Earlier, on October 8, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued warrants against 30 accused, including former PM Hasina, in two separate cases related to crimes against humanity committed through enforced disappearances during the Awami League regime.
The ICT ordered that the accused be arrested and produced in court by October 22. The three-member bench of the tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, passed the order on October 8.
Apart from Hasina, arrest warrants were also issued against former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, retired Major General Tariq Ahmed Siddique, who served as the former Prime Minister’s defence adviser, and former police chief Benzir Ahmed. Twenty-seven of the remaining defendants are retired or serving army officers.
Thursday was the last day for the defence arguments in the case of crimes against humanity committed around the anti-discrimination student movement in July-August, against three individuals, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
In one case, 17 people, including Hasina and her adviser Tariq Ahmed Siddique, have been charged with abducting opposition activists and detaining them at the secret Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell, allegedly operated by the Rapid Action Battalion, where victims were reportedly tortured.
In the second case, Sheikh Hasina, Tariq Siddique, and 11 others have been charged with detaining victims at the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence’s (DGFI) Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) and torturing them.
This case also includes five charges of crimes against humanity and names five former DGFI directors general among the accused.
Earlier on October 22, the ICT ordered 15 serving army officers accused of orchestrating disappearances during Hasina’s tenure to be sent to jail. (ANI)
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