Former IGP Mamun instigated to become state witness, Hasina's lawyer tells tribunal

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's state-appointed counsel Md Amir Hossain has claimed that former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was instigated to turn state witness in the crimes against humanity case filed against Hasina and two others over killings and torture during the mass uprising.

He made the claim today while cross-examining the case's chief investigating officer Md Alamgir at International Crimes Tribunal-1. Alamgir gave his deposition as the 54th and last witness in the case.

Addressing the witness, Amir Hossain said former IGP Mamun did not agree to give a confessional statement voluntarily against Sheikh Hasina. "Rather, you and other members of the investigation agency instigated him to do so in order to implicate my client Sheikh Hasina and [former home minister] Kamal," he said.

The investigating officer, however, rejected the claim, saying, "Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun gave his statement of his own accord. Neither I nor any other member of the investigation team incited him."

According to Hasina's lawyer, many people were killed and injured during the July–August movement, but the recorded testimonies included only a handful of the victims' families.

In response, the investigating officer said around 1,500 people were killed and 25,000 students and members of the public were injured. "We could not speak to every family, but we did speak to many — including 10 from families of martyrs and 22 from families of the injured," he said.

At one stage, state defence lawyer Amir Hossain claimed that the seized list submitted in the case contained false information, which the investigating officer denied.

The lawyer also accused the witness of relying on fabricated reports published by Amar Desh, saying the newspaper's editor Mahmudur Rahman was imprisoned under the Awami League government and bore personal enmity toward Hasina.

He further alleged that the 19 videos seized on 20 and 21 April were generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

"These claims are not true," replied the investigating officer Md Alamgir. "The videos were not AI-generated."

The cross-examination at Tribunal-1 began around 11:45am and continued until 4pm with a short recess in between. As the questioning could not be completed, the tribunal adjourned proceedings, when the remaining cross-examination will be held.

Prosecutors Mizanul Islam, Gazi MH Tamim, Tanvir Hasan Zoha, Faruk Ahmed, Abdus Sattar Palwan, and Moinul Karim, among others, appeared for the prosecution.

The tribunal also produced former IGP Mamun in court today. He had earlier testified as the 36th witness in the case.