Ekramul murder case: Charge hearing against Hasina, 10 others deferred to 27 Sep
Hearing deferred as tribunal did not have its full bench.
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has deferred the hearing on framing formal charges against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 10 others in the crimes against humanity case over the killing of Ekramul Haque, then a councillor of Ward 3 of Teknaf Municipality and president of the upazila Jubo League, setting 27 September for the hearing.
The hearing was scheduled for today (24 September) but was deferred as the tribunal did not have its full bench, Prosecutor Zahirul Amin told reporters.
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The prosecution had sought the postponement, and the tribunal fixed Sunday (27 September) for the hearing.
Four accused currently in custody were produced before the tribunal in the morning. They are former Cox's Bazar-4 MP Abdur Rahman Bodi, then RAB-7 (Chattogram) commander Brigadier General Miftah Uddin Ahmed, Brigadier General Mahbub Alam and former RAB director general Colonel Anwar Latif Khan.
The seven other accused, including Sheikh Hasina, are absconding. They are former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Awami League general secretary and former road transport minister Obaidul Quader, former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, Major (retd) Ruhul Amin, Lieutenant Commander Ashequr Rahman and former DGFI officer Squadron Leader Nazmus Sakib Mahmud.
The tribunal had earlier appointed state defence lawyers for the seven absconding accused after they failed to surrender as directed.
On 26 July, the tribunal took cognisance of the formal charges filed by the prosecution against all 11 accused.
The prosecution has brought allegations including abduction, illegal detention, killing by staging a fake gunfight, and incitement, assistance and orders related to the killing.
According to the prosecution, Ekramul, then a councillor of Ward 3 of Teknaf Municipality and president of the upazila Jubo League, was picked up from a road in front of Hotel Netong in Teknaf's Kirontoli area around 10:30pm on 26 May 2018.
He was allegedly killed between 11pm and midnight in a reported gunfight involving RAB on the sea beach along Marine Drive in Noakhaliapara of Teknaf Sadar Union.
