The prosecution is scheduled to submit its rebuttal in a case against three persons, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, over their alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July Mass Uprising.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam is likely to take part in the hearing, followed by Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman.
‘The state-appointed counsel for fugitives Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and counsel for another accused turned approver Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, have concluded their arguments on Wednesday. We will submit our rebuttal on Thursday. The chief prosecutor and the attorney general will place the rebuttal,’ said prosecutor Mizanul Islam.
Earlier, Advocate Amir Hossain, the state-appointed counsel for fugitive Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and Advocate Jaiad Bin Amjad, counsel for Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, concluded placing their arguments at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1.
At the end of the defence arguments, Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, chairman of the three-member panel of the tribunal, adjourned the hearing till Thursday.
The defence placed arguments for three consecutive days, while the prosecution argued for five days, presenting different documentaries made on the July Mass Uprising, audio records of the telephonic conversations between Sheikh Hasina and different persons, among other things, before the court.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam in his arguments, also referred to the testimonies of different prosecution witnesses and placed links between the crimes against humanity committed to suppress the Mass Uprising in a ‘Systematic Way’.
Earlier, a total of 54 Prosecution witnesses including the father of July Martyr Abu Sayed, National Citizens’ Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam, and journalist Mahmudur Rahman testified in the case and were cross-examined by the defence counsel.
Advocate Amir Hossain, the state-appointed counsel for fugitives Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, cross-examined the witnesses. Former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, another accused in the case, had earlier pleaded guilty and became an
approver.
On June 17, ICT-1 published notices in two national dailies asking Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to surrender before the court by June 24.
‘As per Rule 31 of the International Crimes (Tribunal-1) Rules of Procedure, 2010 (Amendment 2025), they are ordered to surrender before this tribunal on June 24, 2025. Otherwise, the trial will proceed in absentia under Section 10A of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973,’ the notice said.
The tribunal issued the notices on June 16 after taking cognisance of the formal-charge submitted on June 1.
Chief Prosecutor Tajul informed the court that Hasina and Kamal were absconding, citing intelligence reports suggesting that they were in India. The prosecution brought five charges of crimes against humanity and mass killings against Hasina, Kamal and Abdullah Al-Mamun, based on a probe report
filed by the ICT investigation agency on May 12.
The tribunal framed the charges against the trio on July 10.
- BSS
