Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 today acknowledged the charges against 30 individuals, including the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in two cases involving enforced disappearances and torture at the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) Cell and the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the Awami League regime.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the prosecution has filed five charges against 13 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina and her former security and defence adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, related to the alleged crimes at the JIC. The other accused in this case are Md Akbar Hossain, Md Saiful Abedin, Md Saiful Alam, Md Tabrej Shams Chowdhury, Hamidul Haque, Mohammad Touhidul Islam, Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Kabir Ahammed, Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqui, and Mokhchurul Haque.
Another set of five charges has been brought against 17 individuals, again including Sheikh Hasina and Tarique Ahmed Siddique, pertaining to crimes at the TFI. The other accused in this instance are Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Benazir Ahmed, M Khurshid Hossain, Barrister Md Harun Ur Rashid, Anwar Latif Khan, Md Jahangir Alam, Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, KM Azad, Md Qamrul Hasan, Md Mahabub Alam, Abdullah Al Momen, Md Sarwar Bin Qashem, Md Khairul Islam, Md Moshiur Rahman Jewel, and Saiful Islam Suman.
The tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, issued arrest warrants for the accused after acknowledging the charges. The tribunal has also scheduled October 22 for the accused to be presented before the court. Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam participated in the hearing before the court.