Dhaka: The chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Muhammad Tajul Islam today revealed that then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, during a visit to a hospital in late July 2024, instructed authorities to withhold medical treatment and release of victims involved in a mass uprising. The directive reportedly aimed to prevent individuals from returning to anti-government activities.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Muhammad Tajul Islam stated at a press briefing that the prosecution team visited the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (Nitor), commonly referred to as Pongu Hospital, to gather information from victims and their families. During the visit, it was alleged that Hasina had issued orders to the hospital staff on July 27, restricting both treatment and discharge for those involved in the uprising.
The chief prosecutor emphasized that the prosecution possesses evidence supporting these claims, with confirmation from both patients and medical staff at the facility. The prosecution has already communicated these findings to the tribunal.
In response to inquiries from reporters, Tajul Islam noted that the hospital was unable to perform autopsies on the deceased from the uprising, nor were death certificates issued in accordance with administrative directives. He added that families were misled with death certificates attributing the cause of death to illnesses, and that police obstructed burial proceedings, further exacerbating the victims’ families’ distress.
The tribunal has questioned the absence of postmortem reports, which are vital pieces of evidence. Tajul Islam indicated that the authorities at the time coerced families into hasty burials without proper documentation, actions he described as clear indications of crimes against humanity.
Tajul assured that the prosecution would meticulously examine all evidence related to Hasina’s alleged actions, subjecting the materials to forensic analysis before presenting them to the tribunal as part of the legal process.