ICT orders arrest, 2-day remand of Major Muzaffar

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) has ordered that retired Major Md Muzaffar Hossain be formally shown as arrested in a crimes-against-humanity case connected to the 1981 assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman while granting investigators two days to question him.

The order was issued on Thursday by a three-member tribunal led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury after prosecutors sought both his formal arrest in the case and permission to interrogate him.

The bench also includes Justice Md Monjurul Bashid and Justice Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.

Muzaffar, who is currently in custody, was transported from prison to the tribunal in a prison van on Thursday morning before being produced before the court later in the day.

Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam appeared for the prosecution, supported by prosecutors Gazi MH Tamim, Farooque Ahammad, Sahidul Islam Sardar, Shaikh Mahdi and Moinul Karim.

During the hearing, prosecutors told the tribunal that investigators had collected evidence they believe links Muzaffar to crimes against humanity allegedly committed in connection with the killing of Ziaur Rahman in Chattogram in May 1981.

They requested that the court formally include him as an arrested accused in the case and permit investigators to question him.

After considering the application, the tribunal approved the request and authorised investigators to interrogate the retired officer for two days.

The latest order follows a production warrant that the tribunal issued on 21 July, directing prison authorities to produce Muzaffar before the court on Thursday.

Muzaffar is among the accused in the long-running case surrounding the assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman. Authorities say he had remained a fugitive for nearly 45 years before his arrest during a raid at a residence in Dhaka’s Banani area on the night of 15 July.

Following his arrest, he was handed over to the Military Police at Dhaka Cantonment before later being placed in judicial custody, where he remains as the investigation continues.