Police, BGB shot people heading towards Rampura Bridge during July Uprising, witness tells ICT

A witness has told the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) that police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel opened fire on people heading towards Rampura Bridge from Badda during the July Uprising on 19 July 2024.

The witness, private university student Mohammad Sakib Ahmed Tulon, made the statement while testifying against former MP and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon and former MP and Awami League presidium member Qamrul Islam at ICT-1 today (24 August).

He was later cross-examined by defence lawyers.

Tulon said his friend Maruf was shot while they were heading towards Rampura Bridge and later died on the way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after police and BGB personnel blocked the ambulance carrying him.

According to the prosecution, Menon and Kamrul allegedly instigated violence and the use of lethal weapons against unarmed students and members of the public in an attempt to keep the Awami League government in power during the July Uprising. They have been charged in two incidents involving crimes against humanity, including the killing of 23 people in Badda and surrounding areas.

Both were arrested and sent to jail after the AL government was ousted on 5 August 2024.

Witness's testimony

Tulon told the tribunal that he joined the movement on 18 July and took part in protests in front of Badda Post Office Road and BRAC University.

He said protesters faced repeated police obstruction, including tear gas and pellet firing, despite the movement being peaceful.

On 19 July, after Friday prayers, Tulon said he joined a procession in front of BRAC University with Maruf, Maruf's uncle Faisal and Rajib.

"While I was in front of BRAC University, I saw police and BGB shooting and killing people who were heading towards Rampura Bridge," he said.

He said barricades had been placed in front of the bridge and that he saw five people lying dead with bullet wounds.

As they moved towards Rampura Bridge, Tulon said he heard a loud sound of gunfire sometime between Asr and Maghrib prayers.

"I saw Maruf lying on the pavement beside the road. At first, I thought he had fallen during the pushing and shoving. Later, I saw that he had been shot on the right side of his lower abdomen," he told the tribunal.

Maruf told him, "Brother, I've been shot. Save me," before losing consciousness.

Tulon said they took Maruf to AMZ Hospital by ambulance, where doctors provided initial treatment but advised them to take him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as the bleeding could not be stopped.

He said he and several others then took Maruf towards Dhaka Medical College Hospital, but they were stopped by police and BGB near Rampura Bridge.

"We were held up for around half an hour. By then, Maruf's condition had become critical," he said.

The ambulance was eventually allowed to proceed, but Maruf died before reaching Dhaka Medical College Hospital, near Shantinagar Bridge, Tulon said.

He added that Maruf was lying on his left arm when he died.

At Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Tulon said he saw many bullet-riddled bodies and injured people in the emergency department.

A doctor later examined Maruf and declared him dead. The hospital then took his body to the morgue, he said.

Tulon further alleged that hospital authorities told them they could not release any bodies because there was an "order from above".

He said Maruf's father was at the hospital and that they left him there around midnight before heading home.

On their way, Tulon said they encountered police and BGB personnel near Ramna Police Station, where their rickshaw was stopped.

"One of them said, 'Sir, should we shoot them?' Another said, 'No sir, let them go,'" he told the tribunal.

Tulon also testified that he later heard gunshots from the direction of Rampura while they were near Malibagh Rail Crossing before eventually reaching home through Khilgaon and Aftabnagar.

He told the tribunal that, based on reports from Somoy TV, RTV and newspapers, he later learned that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Menon and Kamrul were present at a meeting at Ganabhaban on 19 July where the imposition of the curfew was discussed.

He alleged that the curfew was imposed on their advice and that it led to a massacre of students and members of the public.

Tulon said he later learned that 23 people, including Maruf, were killed in Badda and surrounding areas.

"I want exemplary punishment for those who ordered and advised the imposition of the curfew and the massacre," he told the tribunal.