Staff Reporter :
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has ordered law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of a key eyewitness in the case over the killing of six people during the 5 August Chankharpul incident, part of last year’s July-August movement in Dhaka.
The order, issued on Thursday (14 August) following a prosecution request, came after reports that the witness had faced intimidation.
The tribunal also formed a three-member investigation committee to probe the threats.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim told reporters that the witness had testified two days earlier, describing the events in Chankharpul as an eyewitness.
On the same day, certain individuals from the witness’s institution allegedly staged processions and displayed banners in an apparent attempt to harass and intimidate him.
Photos and videos of the incidents were submitted to the prosecution as evidence.
The six victims of the 5 August killings were identified as Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Mahdi Hasan Junayed, Md Yakub, Md Rakib Hawladar, Md Ismamul Haq, and Manik Mia Shahrik.
The case names eight accused:
Former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman Habib
Former Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty
Former Additional Deputy Commissioners (Ramna Zone) Shah Alam and Md Akhtarul Islam
Former Assistant Commissioner (Ramna Zone) Mohammad Imrul
Former Shahbagh Police Station Inspector Md Arshad Hossain
Former constables Md Sujan Hossain, Imaj Hossain, and Md Nasirul Islam
Of them, the last four are in custody, while the rest remain fugitives.
This is the first crimes-against-humanity case linked to the July-August movement to reach the trial stage.
The charges were formally submitted on 20 April, with the four detained accused produced before the tribunal on 25 May.
According to the case file, on 5 August last year, police allegedly opened fire with live ammunition on a peaceful student protest in Chankharpul, leaving several dead.
The investigation report says state forces used firearms, armoured personnel carriers, helicopters, drones, and a large cache of ammunition in the operation.
It further alleges that fugitive accused Habibur Rahman and others were present on-site and directly ordered the firing, playing an active role in the massacre.
