Uttara:Dhaka Charges have been framed against 26 individuals, including former Dhaka-18 MP Mohammad Habib Hasan and former Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman, in relation to the killing of Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdha and 10 others during a student protest in Uttara in 2024.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) initiated formal proceedings after the ICT-2, led by Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, ordered the charge framing. The tribunal had postponed the decision multiple times before finalizing it on October 11.
The accused include police officers and local leaders from the Awami League and its associated groups. Eight of the accused are in custody, while the remaining 18 are fugitives. Those detained include former police officers and local party leaders, whereas the absconders include ex-MP Habib Hasan and former police chief Habibur Rahman.
The case stems from an incident on July 18, 2024, when Mugdha, a student at Bangladesh University of Professionals, was shot while assisting injured protesters during an anti-discrimination movement in Uttara. The prosecution alleges that indiscriminate firing by police resulted in the deaths of Mugdha and others over two days.
The charges include crimes against humanity for shootings along the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. Additionally, an Uber driver was allegedly killed by a police-operated armoured personnel carrier, and his body disposed of to hide the crime. The prosecution argues these acts were part of a systematic attack on protesters.