Dhaka: Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Muhammad Tajul Islam today highlighted the crucial role played by the Bangladesh Army in protecting civilians during the July Mass Uprising in 2024, amidst police violence. During the concluding arguments for the prosecution in the crimes against humanity case against three individuals, including the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Islam emphasized the army's intervention as a protective measure against indiscriminate police actions.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Tajul Islam addressed reporters, asserting that the entire state machinery, barring the army, was deployed to suppress the uprising. He expressed gratitude towards the army, stating, "We have a patriotic force--the Bangladesh Army-- which the people of this country have always loved. When people see army members on the streets, they embrace them with emotion and shower them with flowers. It was this patriotic army that stood in the middle as a shield when police were shooting people indiscriminately."
Islam further elaborated that from August 3, 2024, the army actively protected protesting students and the general public. He recounted an instance in Mirpur where the army intervened during police firing on students, using blank shots to disperse the police and safeguard lives. "As a force, they played a crucial role, which we have placed before the tribunal," he added.
The chief prosecutor concluded by stating that all other state apparatuses, except the army, were involved in committing crimes aimed at suppressing the July Mass Uprising.