The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has ordered the prosecution to complete investigation into eight former government officials, including former Director General of National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) Major General retired Ziaul Ahsan and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, within a month.
The investigation will have to be completed by December 19, 2024, according to the court order.
The six other accused are Abdullahel Kafi, an additional superintendent of police; Mohammad Jasim Uddin Mollah, former Deputy Commissioner, Mirpur; Mohammad Shahidur Islam, former Additional SP, Abul Hasan, former Officer-in-Charge, Jatrabari Police Station; Mohammad Mazharul Haque, former officer-in-charge, Gulshan Police Station; and Arafat Hossain, former DB Inspector.
All the accused were brought to the tribunal premises at 10:20 am on Wednesday.
During today's hearing, the former major general of the Bangladesh Army said he had no links with the secret detention cell, commonly known as Aynaghar.
"I was not related to Aynaghar," Ziaul told the ICT.
The prosecution read out charges to Ziaul, who had previously also served as an additional director of the Rapid Action Battalion.
Although there were no provisions for the accused to address the court, the former army man was allowed to speak in his defence when he added that his appointment involved a technical job at the NTMC.
His lawyer, Naznin Nahar, who is also Ziaul's sister, said in his defence, "The NTMC never followed anyone."
The prosecution requested for two months to submit the investigation report, but the court granted one month.
During the proceedings, former Gulshan OC Mazharul broke down in tears and said he had not done anything to be brought to this court. "Please save me," he said.
In response, the prosecution read out a litany of accusations against him including the killing of protesters around Badda and Pragati Sarani where members of the Gulshan police station participated.
They were all accused of planning, executing, aiding, abetting, inciting and being directly responsible for the massacre of protesters during the July–August movement.
The tribunal chair, Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, and members, Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmood and Judge M Mohitul Hoque Anam Chawdhury issued the order.
