Staff Reporter :
In a significant development, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh has ordered the arrest and detention of three former high-ranking police officials in connection with the controversial 2016 Kalyanpur operation, which resulted in the deaths of nine individuals labeled as militants.
The tribunal, led by Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza and comprising Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired District and Session Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, issued the order on Monday.
The officials-former Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, and former DMP Deputy Commissioner Md Jasim Uddin Molla-were presented before the court and subsequently remanded to custody.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam alleged that the 2016 operation was a staged event aimed at consolidating the then-government’s power. He asserted that the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) units detained nine youths at a residence known as ‘Jahajbari’ in Dhaka’s Kalyanpur neighborhood, later killing them under the pretense of an anti-militant raid. Islam further claimed that these individuals had been apprehended from various locations across the country prior to the incident, with some held in custody for months before being brought to Kalyanpur.
The Kalyanpur operation, conducted on July 26, 2016, was described by law enforcement as a counter-terrorism measure targeting suspected militants. During the raid, nine individuals were killed, and authorities reported recovering weapons, black clothing, and flags bearing the inscription “Allahu Akbar” from the scene.
Police officials at the time stated that the deceased were members of the banned militant group Jamaa’tul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and were planning large-scale attacks. The operation was part of a series of actions following the deadly attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka earlier that month.
However, the recent tribunal proceedings suggest a reassessment of the events, with allegations that the operation was orchestrated to create a climate of fear and suppress dissent.
The ICT’s decision to detain the former police officials indicates a willingness to scrutinize past actions of law enforcement agencies and hold individuals accountable for alleged abuses of power.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for May 7.
