15 army officers sent to jail in enforced disappearance, killing cases
The tribunal has fixed 20 November for the next hearing of the case
The International Crimes Tribunal has ordered 15 current and former army officers to be sent to jail in connection with two cases filed over enforced disappearances, killings, and torture allegedly committed by the TFI-JIC cell during the Awami League government's tenure.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam confirmed the tribunal's order this morning (22 October), saying, "The tribunal has ordered the 15 army officers produced today in connection with the enforced disappearance and murder cases to be sent to jail."
When asked whether the detainees would be kept in the newly established temporary jail inside the cantonment or elsewhere, Tajul Islam said, "It entirely depends on the prison authorities. They will decide whether to keep the accused in the central jail, the temporary jail, or send them to Chattogram jail."
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He also informed that the tribunal has fixed 20 November for the next hearing of the case.
"The tribunal has also ordered the arrest and production of fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other absconding accused before the court," Tajul Islam added.
He further said several lawyers had verbally communicated with the accused officers today regarding filing bail petitions.
"The tribunal has not heard any bail petitions today. It stated that there is a formal process for bail applications, which can be submitted and heard on the next scheduled date," he explained.
Earlier in the morning, the officers were brought to Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumder, under tight security from a temporary jail located within the cantonment area.
Their lawyer, Barrister Sarwar, said the officers would file two petitions - one seeking bail and another requesting that they be kept under special custody if bail is denied.
On 11 October, the Bangladesh Army headquarters stated that the 15 officers, against whom arrest warrants had been issued in the cases, had been taken into military custody.
Major General Md Hakimuzzaman, adjutant general of the Bangladesh Army, told reporters at the time, "A total of 15 accused officers are now in army custody, while one officer remains unaccounted for. He left his residence one morning and has not returned since. Efforts are underway to trace his whereabouts."
He identified the missing officer as Major General Kabir Ahmed.
"On 8 October, we learned that arrest warrants had been issued against 25 former and current army officers. However, we have not yet received any official copy of the warrants; none have been handed over to us so far," Hakimuzzaman said.
"Among the 25 officers, some are retired while others are still in service. Nine have retired, one is on leave preparatory to retirement [LPR], and 15 are currently serving," he added.
