Ex-army chief Iqbal Karim to testify against Ziaul at ICT

Staff Reporter :

Former army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan will testify against Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan in a crimes against humanity case over allegations of more than a hundred enforced disappearances and killings during the Awami League’s era.

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam informed the two?member ICT-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, of the matter on Thursday while presenting counter-arguments against the defence’s objections to the framing of charges.

During the hearing, the chief prosecutor read out portions of Bhuiyan’s statement given to the investigation officer in the case, detailing what he described as Ziaul Ahsan’s involvement in ruthless and unlawful activities.

According to the statement, Bhuiyan had at one point requested Lt General (retd) Mujibur Rahman to help keep Ziaul Ahsan under control. Following this, incidents of reported “crossfire” killings declined for a time, though the crimes continued covertly. The statement also noted that after assuming office as additional director general of RAB, Ziaul presided over a sharp rise in abnormal killings. Efforts were later made to restrain him through Brig Gen (retd) Jaglul Ahmed.

In response, Jaglul reportedly told Bhuiyan, “You are telling me to make such a man understand, whose head is stuffed with stones. There is no way to make him understand.”

The chief prosecutor said these remarks were included in the former army chief’s testimony.
The tribunal set 14 January to pass an order on the formal framing of charges.

Earlier in the day, police produced Ziaul before the tribunal from prison under tight security, and the hearing took place in his presence.