ICT takes cognisance of charges over police firing at hanging student in Rampura

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 today took cognisance of formal charges in a case involving crimes against humanity, including the widely publicised shooting of a student who was hanging from the cornice of a building in the capital's Rampura area during the 2024 anti-discrimination student movement.

Of the five accused, the tribunal also issued arrest warrants against four accused individuals, including fugitive and former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Habibur Rahman. 

The next hearing has been scheduled for 17 August.

The three-member bench of the tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder, passed the order following a submission by the prosecution. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim represented the prosecution during the hearing.

On Thursday, prosecutors Faruk Ahmed and Saimum Reza Talukder submitted the formal charges to the tribunal registrar, outlining severe allegations against the accused.

Other individuals charged in the case are: former additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Khilgaon Zone under DMP Md Rashedul Islam, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Rampura Police Station Md Mashiur Rahman, former assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Rampura Police Outpost Chanchal Chandra Sarkar and former sub-inspector (SI) of Rampura Police Station Turiqul Islam Bhuiyan. 

Former ASI Chanchal Chandra Sarkar was arrested by DMP police on 26 January. He was produced before the tribunal on 28 January, following which the court ordered his detention.

According to the case documents, on 19 July 2024, victim Amir Hossain was returning home after offering Jummah prayer. 

Suddenly, he fell between the fight between protesters and police, and the law enforcers started firing gunshots at him. At that time, Amir ran to the fourth floor of an under-construction building and took shelter.

At one stage, the police chased the protesters and climbed to the fourth floor of the building. Later, the police personnel repeatedly asked him to jump down at gunpoint. 

A policeman fired several shots to scare him. At one stage, out of fear, Amir Hossain jumped and hung on the rod of the under-construction building.

Then a policeman from the third floor fired six shots at Amir, and the bullets hit his legs. 

At one point, when the police left, Amir jumped and somehow landed on the third floor. Blood was pouring from his legs at that time.

After about three hours, a student and two doctors rescued Amir and took him to a local hospital and from there he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Amir Hossain fortunately survived this brutal incident.

Apart from this horrific incident, the accused have been blamed for the killings of two people in the area on the same day.