ICT orders completing investigation in Lakshmipur July Uprising case within 2 months
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has directed investigators to complete their probe within two months and submit a report in a case filed over the killing of five people, including students, during the July Uprising in Lakshmipur.
The tribunal has also set 1 December as the next date for the hearing.
The three-member Tribunal-2 bench, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, issued the order today (28 October)
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ICT Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim represented the prosecution and sought an extension of two months to submit the progress report. However, the tribunal initially ordered that the report be submitted within one month.
"We do not want to cause delays," the tribunal remarked. "You're asking for two months—we can allow one."
When the prosecution insisted on two months, the judges responded, "Then why not make it two years?"—before finally setting a new date.
The report was originally scheduled to be submitted today, following an order issued by the tribunal on 28 September, which had granted a one-month extension at that time after rejecting a previous two-month request.
Currently, three accused are in custody in connection with the Lakshmipur war crimes case. They are Humayun Kabir Patwary, president of the Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila Awami League, Salah Uddin Javed, chairman of Dighali Union Parishad and Shahin Alam, organisational secretary of the district unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League
All three were produced before the tribunal during Tuesday's proceedings.
Earlier, on 16 July, the tribunal had ordered to produce them in court on 28 July after they were arrested in another case.
According to the case documents, cadres of Awami League, Jubo League and BCL opened fire on agitating students-people in Lakshmipur on August 4, killing five innocents. The victims were identified as Al Asad Afnan, Sabbir Hossain Russel, Kawser Hossain, Osman Goni and Md Sujon.
