Mahmudur Rahman testifies against Hasina at ICT
Staff Reporter :
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, deposed in the July 2024 uprising, was compared to fascist dictator Adolf Hitler during witness testimony at the International Crimes Tribunal on Monday.
Mahmudur Rahman, editor of Amar Desh newspaper, made the remarks while testifying as the 46th prosecution witness in a case accusing Hasina and two others of crimes against humanity.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, recorded his deposition.
In his testimony, Rahman said the July 24 uprising marked “the downfall of one of the worst fascist rulers in Bangladesh’s history.”
He alleged that Sheikh Hasina suppressed the opposition in a manner similar to Hitler’s persecution of communists and Jews in Germany.
Rahman further claimed that the Shahbag Gonojagoron Mancha movement in 2013 was orchestrated by the government to manufacture public opinion against a particular political group, ultimately influencing the judiciary to upgrade Abdul Quader Molla’s life sentence to the death penalty. He described the verdict as “a grave injustice in Bangladesh’s history.”
The witness also alleged that Sheikh Hasina and her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, harbored hostility towards the military.
Referring to the 2009 BDR mutiny, he claimed that patriotic army officers were “ruthlessly murdered,” after which Hasina moved to consolidate control over the judiciary, evicted former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence, and abolished the caretaker government system.
Rahman argued that the Shahbag movement enjoyed open support from neighboring India, citing statements made by visiting Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who expressed solidarity with the protests.
The tribunal formally framed charges against Sheikh Hasina and her co-accused on 10 July, including five counts of crimes against humanity. The prosecution submitted its investigation report to the Chief Prosecutor on 12 May.
On the same day, Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), was also scheduled to testify as a prosecution witness. Their testimonies were initially set for September 10 but were deferred due to personal reasons.
Earlier, testimonies from 45 witnesses were recorded between September 8-9.