Bangladesh: ICT formally charges former PM Hasina, 16 others

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Tuesday formally charged 17 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a crimes against humanity case linked to allegations of enforced disappearances during the Awami League government, local media reported.

The three-member tribunal issued the order after detailing the four charges brought against the accused, including Hasina’s former defence and security advisor, Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique and 11 army officers.

Reports suggest that during the proceedings, of the 17 accused, 10 former Rapid Action Battalion officers were brought before the tribunal.

Prior to framing the charges, the tribunal asked the officers whether they pleaded guilty.

All 10 pleaded not guilty, with one stating that they hoped to obtain justice through the tribunal.

The tribunal later set January 21 for the opening statements, Bangladesh’s leading newspaper The Daily Star reported.

This latest development comes nearly a month after Bangladesh’s ICT on November 17 pronounced a death sentence for Hasina after it found her guilty on the charges of crimes against humanity related to the demonstrations in July of last year.

It also convicted two of Hasina’s top aides, sentencing former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned state witness, to five years’ imprisonment.

Following the controversial ICT verdict in November, Hasina alleged that the judgement announced against her came from a “rigged tribunal” set up and presided over by the unelected interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, which lacks a democratic mandate. The former PM termed the ruling as biased and politically motivated.

In a statement, the former PM stated, “In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government to remove Bangladesh’s last elected Prime Minister, and to nullify the Awami League as a political force. Millions of Bangladeshis toiling under the chaotic, violent and socially regressive administration of Dr Mohammad Yunus will not be fooled by this attempt to short-change them of their democratic rights.”

The ICT has drawn widespread criticism from the global community, with critics citing a lack of due process during the trials conducted against Hasina and accusing the Yunus-led interim government of weaponising the judiciary

IANS