The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 on Thursday filed charges against 13 people, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a case involving enforced disappearances and torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the previous Awami League government.
The three-member tribunal, presided over by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumder, issued the order, directing the prosecution to submit its opening statement on January 19.
The other 12 defendants in the case are Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former security and defence adviser to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Md Akbar Hossain, Md Saiful Abedin, Md Saiful Alam, Md Tabrej Shams Chowdhury, Hamidul Haque, Mohammad Touhidul Islam, Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Kabir Ahammed, Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqui, and Mokhchurul Haque.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam attended the hearing and pleaded for five charges against the accused. However, defence attorneys argued for their release, claiming that their clients are innocent.
Three of the 13 accused are in custody and will face the trial in person. Their names are Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, and Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqui. The three defendants pleaded not guilty before the tribunal.
Earlier, on October 8, the tribunal heard charges against 30 people, including Sheikh Hasina, in two separate cases involving alleged enforced disappearances and torture at the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) Cell and the JIC during the Awami League's rule.
The prosecution has also filed five additional charges against 17 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Tarique Ahmed Siddique, for allegedly committing similar crimes at TFI Cell.
Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Benazir Ahmed, M Khurshid Hossain, Barrister Md Harun Ur Rashid, Anwar Latif Khan, Md Jahangir Alam, Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, KM Azad, Md Qamrul Hasan, Md Mahabub Alam, Abdullah Al Momen, Md Sarwar Bin Qashem, Md Khairul Islam, Md Moshiur Rahman Jewel, and Saiful Islam Suman are the other accused in that case.
