Formal charges filed against former NTMC chief Ziaul Ahsan for crimes against humanity
ICT investigators have obtained "exceptionally strong evidence" against the former senior army officer
The prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) filed formal charges against Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, former director general of the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC), for his alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and the extrajudicial killing of hundreds of people.
Prosecutor Sheikh Mahdi, accompanied by Prosecutor Moinul Karim and others, filed the charges before the tribunal. The court is expected to hear the matter later today (17 December).
The formal submission follows grave allegations levelled by ICT Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam, who previously stated that investigators have obtained "exceptionally strong evidence" against the former senior army officer.
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The prosecution alleges that during the 15-year tenure of the ousted Awami League government, Ziaul Ahsan orchestrated a campaign of terror involving the abduction and murder of hundreds of political opponents and dissidents.
According to the ICT chief prosecutor, many victims were subjected to enforced disappearance, after which their bodies were allegedly cut open and dumped in rivers, canals, and wetlands to ensure they would not resurface.
Ziaul Ahsan is currently under investigation in multiple cases, including his alleged role in the 2013 Shapla Chattar massacre and widespread torture during his leadership at the NTMC and other national security agencies.
The ICT investigation agency has identified Ziaul Ahsan as a key figure alongside other high-profile accused, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former security adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and former police chief Benazir Ahmed.
The prosecution has previously informed the court that Ziaul Ahsan is linked to the "highest number of crimes" among the current detainees. During earlier hearings, the prosecution resisted petitions from Ziaul's legal team and family seeking to have lawyers present during interrogations, arguing that the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act does not allow a lawyer to sit before an investigation officer during interrogation.
