Dhaka
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) summoned 20 individuals on Sunday, including former army chief Ziaul Ahsan, ten former ministers, and two advisers to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to appear before the tribunal next month. This summons is part of an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity and genocide linked to the July-August uprising in the country, which reportedly resulted in at least 753 deaths and thousands of injuries.
The ICT has received over 60 complaints against Hasina and her party leaders concerning these alleged crimes. The tribunal has ordered the concerned authorities to present the summoned individuals on November 18. The list of accused includes prominent figures such as former ministers Faruq Khan, Rashed Khan Menon, and Hasanul Haq Inu, as well as advisers Tawfiq-e-Elahi and Salman F Rahman.
Earlier, on October 17, the tribunal issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 45 others, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. The ICT, originally established in 2010 to address crimes committed during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War, had been inactive since June but was reconstituted by the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on October 12.
This situation follows significant political turmoil, with Prime Minister Hasina fleeing to India on August 5 amid widespread student-led protests, leaving the interim government to navigate the ongoing crisis.
