ICT opens trial of 16 over Ashulia corpse burning
News Desk :
International Crimes Tribunal-2 has indicted 16 people in connection with the killing and burning of six bodies during the July Uprising in Dhaka’s Ashulia, paving the way for the trial to start.
The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, issued the indictment order on Thursday after rejecting petitions from the accused seeking discharge, reports bdnews24.com.
Of the 16 accused, eight were produced before the court, including former additional superintendent of police (ASP) Abdullahil Kafi, former ASP (Savar Circle) Shahidul Islam, former Detective Branch inspector Arafat Hossain, sub-inspectors Malek and Arafat Uddin, assistant sub-inspector Kamrul Hasan, Abzal Hossain, and constable Mukul Former sub-inspector Sheikh Afzalul Haque admitted guilt and petitioned to testify as a state witness.
Eight others, including former lawmaker Muhammad Saiful Islam and former sub-inspector Bishwajit Saha, remain at large. The tribunal appointed two state defence lawyers to represent them.
On Jul 2, the prosecution submitted a formal complaint to the tribunal against 16 people. The court accepted the complaint and issued arrest warrants against eight suspects.
Along with the formal complaint, 313 pages of documents, 62 witnesses, 168 pages of documentary evidence and two pen drives were added as other sources of information. Later, the tribunal took cognisance of the charges brought against 16 people in the case. The indictment hearing began on Aug 7.
On Aug 5 last year, six young men were shot dead by police in Ashulia. Their bodies were then placed in a police van and set ablaze. One of them was alive at the time. He was later burnt after being doused in petrol, according to the case documents.
Those killed at that time were Sajjad Hossain (Sajal), As Sabur, Tanzil Mahmud Sujoy, Bayezid Bustami and Abul Hossain; the identity of one person has yet to be determined.
Following the incident, on Sept 11, a case was filed with the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) accusing the perpetrators of crimes against humanity. At least 11 people were named in it.