July massacre case: Ex-IGP Mamun turns state witness
Staff reporter :
In a major development, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 today (Thursday) formally framed five charges against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun in connection with the July massacre case.
The tribunal, led by Justice Mustafizur Rahman and a three-member
bench, accepted the charges and fixed August 3 and 4 for the opening hearing and presentation of witness testimony and evidence.
Among the accused, Sheikh Hasina and the former home minister are reportedly absconding. Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun has been arrested and produced before the court. In a dramatic turn, Mamun admitted his role in the alleged crimes during the hearing and declared that he is prepared to accept responsibility. He has agreed to testify as a state witness for the prosecution.
As a result, Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun will no longer be treated as an accused but will remain in protective custody in prison as a state witness. He stated before the court that he would reveal the entire truth about the incidents, orders, and his own role in the events surrounding the massacre. “I will uncover all the truths before the nation,” he said.
The tribunal has ordered that the next phase of the trial begin with an initial hearing on August 3, followed by witness depositions and statements on August 4.
According to the prosecution, five specific charges have been framed against Sheikh Hasina and the other accused:
1. Delivering inflammatory speeches branding protesting students as “children and grandchildren of collaborators (razakars),” which allegedly incited mass violence.
2. Involvement in the murder of Abu Saeed of Rangpur, the first martyr of the July uprising.
3. Authorizing the use of deadly weapons, drone strikes, and helicopter attacks to suppress student protests.
4. Responsibility for the killing of six protesters at Chankharpul.
5. The killing of six students in Ashulia on August 5, whose bodies were reportedly burnt to destroy evidence – with reports that one victim was burned alive. These acts have been described as heinous crimes against humanity.
Thursday’s acceptance of the charges marks the formal start of trial proceedings in the July massacre case, making it the first time that an international tribunal has accepted murder charges against Sheikh Hasina.
Earlier, state-appointed defence counsel Amir Hossain filed a petition to withdraw the charges against Sheikh Hasina, but the court rejected the appeal.
With Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun now testifying as the key state witness, the trial is expected to shed unprecedented light on the events and decisions behind the deadly crackdown.