A total of 14 high-profile offenders, including 10 former ministers, two advisers, a retired judge, and a former secretary, will be produced before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) today in connection with charges of crimes against humanity, including alleged genocide during the July-August student movement.
In this regard, the tribunal’s prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said, “They will be produced before the tribunal for the first time at 10:00am tomorrow (Monday). The petition will be heard at 10:30 am. If any of their lawyers are present at that time, they can file a statement of defence and speak for the accused.”
He said, “Since the renovation work of the new tribunal building is still ongoing, they are being brought to the temporary tribunal for the time being. For this, strict security measures will be taken in and around the tribunal premises.”
Calling on all those who will attend the tribunal tomorrow (Monday), including media personnel, to behave responsibly in the interest of security and confidentiality, he further said, “No one entering the court (not the tribunal premises), even prosecutors, will not be able to take mobile phones or any unnecessary devices with them.”
On October 27, The ICT ordered the appearance of 10 former ministers, two advisers, a retired judge and a former secretary, in a case involving charges of murder and other offences dating back to July and August.
They have been summoned to appear before the tribunal on November 18, and the tribunal has also ordered that their arrests be recorded in the case file.
The order was issued by a three-member bench led by tribunal Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, following an application from Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam.
Those currently in jail under arrest in other cases and ordered to appear before the tribunal are Anisul Huq, Faruk Khan, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Dipu Moni, Salman F Rahman, Abdur Razzaque, Shajahan Khan, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Golam Dastagir Gazi, Justice Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, and former Home Secretary Jahangir Alam.
