ICT presses charges against 47 over killings in Farmgate, Uttara

The prosecution yesterday pressed formal charges in two crimes against humanity cases over the killing of 14 people and the injury of dozens during the July uprising in Dhaka’s Farmgate and Uttara areas, accusing 47 people.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 issued arrest warrants against the absconding accused and directed the authorities to execute the warrants and submit a report on January 21.

The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, also ordered the production of nine accused currently in custody on the same date.

The accused include former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Awami League lawmaker from Uttara Mohammad Habib Hasan, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar and former DMP Uttara division deputy commissioner Kazi Ashraful Azim.

In the case over the killing of three people -- Golam Nafiz, Tahidul Islam and Ramiz Uddin Ahmed Rupa -- and the serious injury of four others in Farmgate and adjoining Tejgaon areas, the prosecution accused 22 AL activists and police personnel.

The prosecution disclosed the identities of eight accused: Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal; Habibur Rahman; Biplob Kumar Sarkar; additional deputy commissioners Hafiz Al Faruq, Rubaiyat Zaman and Sachin Moulik; former Tejgaon police station OC Mohammad Mohsin; and former DNCC councillor Faridur Rahman Khan Iran.

In the second case, over the killing of 11 people and the injury of dozens in Uttara, the prosecution pressed formal charges against 26 accused on two counts.

According to the first charge, on July 18, 2024, police members and armed AL activists opened fire on unarmed protesters on the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway and adjoining areas, killing at least seven people, including Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mughdho and Sajeeb Sarkar, and seriously injuring many others.

Mughdho, an MBA student of Bangladesh University of Professionals, was shot dead in Uttara’s Sector 3 while helping injured protesters and distributing water and biscuits. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The second charge relates to the killing of four others on July 19 in the same area.

The prosecution disclosed the identities of eight accused: Habib Hasan; Habibur Rahman; Ashraful Azim; ADCs Mirza Salahuddin and Mohammad Towhidul Islam; Uttara East police station OC Muzibur Rahman; and local AL leader Monwar Islam Chowdhury Robin.