Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal-1 today took cognizance of formal charges in a case involving crimes against humanity, including the widely publicized shooting of a student who was hanging from the cornice of a building in the capital’s Rampura area during the 2024 anti-discrimination student movement. Of the five accused, the tribunal also issued arrest warrants against four individuals, including fugitive and former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman. The next hearing has been scheduled for August 17. The three-member bench of the tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder, passed the order following a submission by the prosecution. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim represented the prosecution during the hearing.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, on Thursday, prosecutors Faruk Ahmed and Saimum Reza Talukder submitted the formal charges to the tribunal registrar, outlining severe allegations against the accused. Other individuals charged in the case are former Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Khilgaon Zone under DMP Md Rashedul Islam, former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Rampura Police Station Md Mashiur Rahman, former Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Rampura Police Outpost Chanchal Chandra Sarkar, and former Sub-Inspector (SI) of Rampura Police Station Turiqul Islam Bhuiyan.
Former ASI Chanchal Chandra Sarkar was arrested by DMP police on January 26 and was produced before the tribunal on January 28, following which the court ordered his detention. The case documents reveal that on July 19, 2024, victim Amir Hossain was returning home after offering Jummah prayer when he got caught in a clash between protesters and police. The law enforcers started firing gunshots at him, prompting Amir to run to the fourth floor of an under-construction building for shelter.
Police chased the protesters and reached the fourth floor, where they allegedly threatened Amir at gunpoint, demanding he jump down. A policeman fired shots to intimidate him, and out of fear, Amir Hossain hung onto a rod. A policeman from the third floor then fired six shots at Amir, hitting his legs. After the police left, Amir managed to jump to the third floor, bleeding from his injuries.
Approximately three hours later, a student and two doctors rescued Amir and took him to a local hospital. He was later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he fortunately survived. In addition to this incident, the accused are also blamed for the killings of two people in the area on the same day.