ICT rejects army officers' plea for virtual hearings in case over crimes against humanity
Ten army officers were transported to the tribunal from the special jail inside Dhaka Cantonment in a green, air-conditioned prison van marked “Bangladesh Jail–Prison Van”
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) has rejected a petition seeking virtual hearings for the 10 army officers arrested in a case over alleged enforced disappearances and torture at the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) Cell during the Awami League's last tenure.
The officers will now be required to appear physically at the next hearing.
The three-member Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, delivered the order today (3 December).
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Advocate Tobarak Hossain represented the accused, while Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam appeared for the state.
After hearing both sides, the Tribunal dismissed the application, which had been filed on 23 November. ICT-1 set today for the charge framing hearing in the case.
During the proceedings, the Tribunal observed that the law applies equally to all.
Earlier in the morning, the ten army officers were brought before the Tribunal for the hearing on framing formal charges against 17 accused, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The officers were transported from the special jail inside Dhaka Cantonment in a green, air-conditioned prison van marked "Bangladesh Jail–Prison Van".
The officers named in the case are Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, former RAB additional director general; Brig Gen Tofayel Mustafa Sarwar; Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan; Brig Gen Md Mahabub Alam; Col KM Azad; Col Abdullah Al Momen; Col Anwar Latif Khan (now on PRL); Col Md Moshiur Rahman, former chief of RAB's intelligence wing; Lt Col Saiful Islam Suman; and Lt Col Md Sarwar Bin Kashem.
According to the case documents, those shown as fugitives include former prime minister Sheikh Hasina; her former defence adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique; former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal; former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed; former RAB director general M Khurshid Hossain; and former RAB director general Barrister Harun-ur-Rashid.
