Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has scheduled hearings for December 3 and 7 in two significant cases concerning enforced disappearances and torture during the previous Awami League government’s tenure. These hearings will focus on incidents at the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) Cell and the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the two-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, organized the hearing dates following a prosecution request. The December 3 hearing will address charge framing related to the TFI Cell, while the December 7 hearing will focus on crimes associated with the JIC. Senior advocate ZI Khan Panna has been appointed to represent the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in both cases.
The tribunal’s decision occurred in the presence of 13 out of the 30 accused, who are primarily officials of the Bangladesh Army. The accused present for the hearing include Md Jahangir Alam, Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Md Qamrul Hasan, and several others. Previously, on October 22, these 13 individuals, along with two others charged in a separate crimes against humanity case, were sent to jail by ICT-1.
The tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, has also instructed the publication of notices in both English and Bengali newspapers, urging fugitive accused in the three cases to appear in court. Charges were initially recognized by ICT-1 on October 8 against 30 individuals, including the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with enforced disappearances and torture.
In the JIC-related case, five charges have been brought against 13 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina and her former security and defense adviser, Tarique Ahmed Siddique. The TFI Cell case involves five charges against 17 people, including former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, among others.