Dhaka: A total of 141 people were accused so far to be tried in Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) for their alleged crimes against humanity during the July-August Uprising in 2024 while 54 of them were in custody by now, prosecution lawyers said today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the latest statistics reveal that 339 complaints have been lodged in the tribunal, resulting in 141 people being accused in these cases. ICT-BD's chief prosecutor, Mohammad Tazul Islam, shared this information during a media briefing at his office, confirming that 54 of the accused have been arrested to face trial, while the remaining 87 are currently on the run.
The chief prosecutor noted that investigations into charges against the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, cases concerning the burning of bodies at Ashulia, the Chankharpul killings, and the shooting of a man hanging on a cornice in Rapura have nearly reached their final stages. Tazul also mentioned that investigations into 39 additional cases are ongoing.
He further stated that approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people were martyred during the uprising, with around 25,000 people and students wounded. The prosecution chief expressed confidence that visible evidence of the crimes exists and that they will be able to prove these crimes in the tribunal, ensuring justice by maintaining international standards.
The briefing also highlighted that 17 lawyers are serving in the prosecution team, supported by 24 police officers appointed as investigators on deputation to carry out the inquiries. Present at the briefing were ICT-BD prosecutors Abdus Sobhan Tarafdar, Mizanul Islam, Gazi MH Tamim, Abdullah Al Noman, Saimum Reza, Abdus Sattar Palawan, and others.