Former Bangladesh Chief of General Staff and 10 Former Ministers Summoned on Allegations of Genocide

Last Update:27 October 2024 23:36 IST

On October 17, the court issued an arrest warrant against Hasina and 45 people, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and several former cabinet members.

Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina (left) and interim leader Mohammed Younis (right). (Image: AFP)

The International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) for Bangladesh on Sunday summoned 20 people, including former army chief Ziaul Ahsan, 10 former ministers and two advisers to deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, to appear before it next month on allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide. July-August uprising in the country.

According to Bangladesh’s interim government, at least 753 people were killed and thousands were injured during the uprising, which the ICT prosecutor’s office and the interim government described as a crime against humanity and genocide. So far, more than 60 complaints of crimes against humanity and genocide have been lodged with the ICT investigation agency and prosecution team against Hasina and her party leaders.

According to The Daily Star newspaper, the ICT instructed the relevant authorities to appoint 20 people, including 10 former ministers and two advisors of former Prime Minister Hasina, on November 18.

The decision was given by a three-member ICT bench led by Chief Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, on the application of Solicitor General Md Tajul Islam.

The list of accused includes former ministers Faruq Khan, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haq Inu, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Abdur Razzaque, Shahjahan Khan, Kamal Ahmed Majumder and Golam Dastagir Gazi. According to the Dhaka Tribune newspaper, the names include former advisors of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Tawfiq-e-Elahi and Salman F Rahman, former army chief Ahsan, former judge Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and former home minister Jahangir Alam.

On October 17, the court issued an arrest warrant against Hasina and 45 people, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and several former cabinet members.

The ICT was set up by the Hasina-led Awami League government in March 2010 to prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 War of Liberation. She later formed ICT-2, and at least six Jamaat-e-Islami and leaders of Hasina’s arch-rival Khaleeda Zia’s BNP party were executed following orders of two courts. The court has been inactive since mid-June following the retirement of its president.

The interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, reconstituted the court on October 12.

Nobel laureate Yunus, 84, became the Chief Advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government on August 8 after Prime Minister Hasina fled to India on August 5 amid mass student-led protests.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)

Location :

Dhaka, Bangladesh