Dhaka, August 15, 2024: A formal complaint was lodged on Wednesday with Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and several high-ranking officials of her former government. The complaint accuses them of committing crimes against humanity during the recent mass student protests against her regime, reported the Indian Express.
The complaint, filed by Supreme Court lawyer Bulbul Kabir on behalf of the father of a student killed during the protests, marks a significant development in the political unrest that has gripped Bangladesh. Arif Ahmed Siyam, a class 9 student, was fatally shot by police during the protests on August 5, an incident that sparked widespread condemnation.
Ataur Rahman, deputy director of the ICT’s investigation agency, confirmed the registration of the complaint, signaling the beginning of an official investigation. The complaint implicates 76-year-old Hasina and others in mass killings that occurred between July 15 and August 5, the day Hasina resigned and fled the country.
Among those named in the complaint are key figures from Hasina’s former government, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, ex-Junior Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, and sacked police chief Chowdhury Abdullah al Mamun. The allegations involve over 230 deaths in violent clashes across the country, with the death toll reaching 560 during the three weeks of turmoil that originated from a student-led movement against a controversial job quota system.
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Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul stated that the interim government, under United Nations supervision, would investigate the incidents. He emphasized that the murders between July 1 and August 5 would be tried under the International Crimes Tribunal Act of 1973, as amended in 2009 and 2013.
“We are working to ensure that those responsible for the July-August massacres face justice,” Nazrul told reporters, affirming that no one involved in the killings would be exempt from prosecution. He also announced that any cases deemed false or filed to harass individuals during the movement would be withdrawn by the end of the month.
This move signals a critical step in addressing the widespread violence and bringing accountability to the actions of the previous government, as Bangladesh continues to navigate its tumultuous political landscape.
