Jatrabari killing: ICT prosecution seeks trial against ex-DMP chief Habibur, 10 others; hearing set for 2 Feb
On a prima facie assessment, the prosecution sought the framing of charges against all 11 accused
The International Crimes Tribunal prosecution today (28 January) framed charges and sought trial against 11 accused, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Habibur Rahman, in a crimes against humanity case over the killing of Imam Hasan Taim, son of Md Moynal Hossain Bhuiyan, a sub-inspector at the Rajarbag Police Lines, during the July Uprising in Jatrabari.
The tribunal has fixed 2 February for hearing on the defence petitions seeking discharge of the accused.
The date was set following the conclusion of prosecution arguments before the two-member International Crimes Tribunal-2, led by Justice Md Manjurul Basid.
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Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam represented the prosecution during the hearing on charge framing.
According to the chief prosecutor, Taim was shot dead at close range in the Kajla area of Jatrabari on 20 July, on the instructions of then DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, joint commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, and other senior officials.
He said that while Taim lay critically injured, his friend Rahat attempted to pull him to safety from behind. At that moment, police opened fire again, forcing Rahat to retreat and leave Taim behind. The incident caused widespread public shock.
The accused have been charged with issuing orders to kill, incitement, provocation, and other acts amounting to crimes against humanity.
On a prima facie assessment, the prosecution sought the framing of charges against all 11 accused.
Lawyer Abul Hasan sought time to represent the two arrested accused during the hearing. Following petitions by state-appointed lawyers M Hasan Imam and Lokman Hawlader on behalf of the nine absconding accused, the tribunal fixed the date for further proceedings.
Earlier, 2 accused were produced before the tribunal from jail: former Jatrabari police station officer-in-charge Abul Hasan and former officer-in-charge (investigation) Zakir Hossain.
Apart from Habibur Rahman, the other absconding accused are former DMP joint commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Wari zone deputy commissioner Iqbal Hossain, additional deputy commissioner Shakil Mohammad Shamim, former Demra zone ADC Md Masudur Rahman Monir, former assistant police commissioner Nahid Ferdous, former Jatrabari police inspector (operations) Wahidul Haque Mamun, unarmed sub-inspector Sazzad Uz Zaman, and Md Shahadat Ali.
On 24 December, Tribunal-2 took cognisance of the charges against the 11 accused and issued arrest warrants. The prosecution submitted the formal chargesheet on the same day.
