ICT orders newspaper notices for Sheikh Hasina, 29 others in Shapla Chattar case

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 has ordered the publication of newspaper notices against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 29 other fugitives, directing them to surrender to face trial in the case over crimes against humanity committed during the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel in 2013.

The tribunal passed the order today (3 September).

Ten of the 41 accused, who were arrested earlier, were produced before the tribunal. Journalist Farzana Rupa, another accused in the case, was not produced as she was reportedly ill.

The 10 accused produced before the tribunal are former ministers Dipu Moni and Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Hasanul Haq Inu, Shamsul Haque Tuku, Abdur Razzaque; former inspector general of police AKM Shahidul Haque; retired major general Ziaul Ahsan; former deputy inspector general Abdul Jalil Mondal; Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriar Kabir and Ekattor Media Ltd's former managing director Mozammel Haque Babu.

The case relates to the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar on 5 May 2013 and the subsequent security operation in Dhaka and violence in other parts of the country.

According to the prosecution, 58 people were killed in four locations – Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chattogram and Cumilla – in connection with the events surrounding the rally. The investigation agency has identified 32 victims in Dhaka, 20 in Narayanganj, five in Chattogram and one in Cumilla.

The accused include Sheikh Hasina; former home minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir; former state minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku; former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu; Awami League Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim; former food minister Abdur Razzaque; Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif; former information minister Hasan Mahmud; Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim; former ministers Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Dipu Moni and Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya; former state minister Mrinal Kanti Das; former Awami League Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak; former Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury; former lawmaker Salahuddin Mahmud; and Gano Jagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker.

Among the journalists accused are Shahriar Kabir, Mozammel Haque Babu and Farzana Rupa.

The police and security officials named as accused include former IGPs Hasan Mahmud Khandker, AKM Shahidul Haque, Mohammad Javed Patwari and Benazir Ahmed; former RAB director general M Kleshur Rahman; former army chief General Aziz Ahmed; retired major general Ziaul Ahsan; former RAB additional director general (operations) Lieutenant General Md Mujibur Rahman; former DIG Abdul Jalil Mondal; former additional IGP Sheikh Mohammad Maruf Hasan; former additional IGP (Special Branch) Mahbub Hossain; former additional IGP (SB) Monirul Islam; former DMP deputy commissioners Mohammad Anwar Hossain and Ashrafuzzaman; former DMP additional deputy commissioner SM Mehedi Hasan; former DIG Harun-or-Rashid; former DIG Biplab Kumar Sarker; former DIG Syed Nurul Islam; former DMP additional deputy commissioner Mohammad Asaduzzaman; retired additional superintendent of police SM Shibli Noman; and former Motijheel police station officer-in-charge BM Farman Ali.

Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said 11 accused are currently in jail, while 30 are fugitives.
"There were arrest warrants against the 30 accused, but they could not be found at their addresses. Notices will now be published in two newspapers, giving them a specified period to surrender. The trial will begin after that," he said.

The tribunal has fixed 16 September for the next hearing.

"We will prioritise the Shapla Chattar case and complete it quickly," the chief prosecutor said.