Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has scheduled December 19 as the deadline for submitting a probe report concerning allegations of killings, genocides, and crimes against humanity against eight former security officials. This includes the former director general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), the sacked Major General Ziaul Ahsan, who has been likened by the prosecution to notorious Serbian war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the tribunal, composed of three members and led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, set the date after the prosecution requested an additional two months to complete the investigation into the alleged crimes by these high-ranking officials. The other accused individuals are former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former additional superintendent of police (ASP) Abdullahel Kafi, former deputy commissioner of Mirpur Zone Md Jasim Uddin Mollah, former ASP Md Shah idur Islam, former officer-in-charge of Jatrabari Police Station Abul Hasan, former officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station Mazharul Islam, and former detective branch (DB) inspector Arafat Hossain. The tribunal has also ordered the detention of the eight accused. Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam, at the onset of the proceedings, argued for more time to gather and organize evidence related to the alleged atrocities. He described the crimes, which reportedly resulted in around 2,000 deaths and over 25,000 injuries during a mass uprising in July and August, as nearly unimaginable. So far, 200 complaints have been filed against the accused, with charges ranging from planning and preparation to inciting and participating in the crimes. The prosecutor further implicated former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, claiming that as the supreme commander, he held ultimate responsibility for the actions of the police and its units, including the Detective Branch, Criminal Investigation Department, and Rapid Act ion Battalion, during the uprising. These units allegedly perpetrated barbaric acts under his command, marking a dark chapter in history.
