17 of 22 accused remain at large: Fugitive ministers to face trial in absentia
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Wednesday ordered the appointment of state-appointed defence counsel for 17 absconding accused in a case involving alleged crimes against humanity committed in Chattogram during last year’s mass uprising, clearing the path for trial proceedings to continue in their absence.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and also comprising Judge Md Manjurul Bashid and Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, issued the order after hearing submissions from the prosecution.
The tribunal simultaneously scheduled 4 June for the formal framing of charges against all 22 accused in the case. Among the 17 fugitive accused are former Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and former Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, both prominent figures from the Awami League government that fell amid the student-led uprising of July 2024.
Prosecutor Mohammad Zahirul Amin told the tribunal on Wednesday that authorities had so far arrested five of the 22 accused, including former Member of Parliament ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury.
The remaining 17, he said, had failed to appear before the tribunal despite notices being published in newspapers directing them to do so.
Given their continued absence, the prosecutor requested the tribunal to appoint state counsel on their behalf and allow proceedings to advance. The tribunal acceded to the request.
The prosecution has brought three charges against the 22 accused. The first charge relates to the killing of Md Wasim Akram, Faisal Ahmed Shanto and Md Faruk in Chattogram on 16 July 2024.
The second concerns the killing of Tanvir Siddiqui, Md Saimon and Hridoy Chandra two days later, on 18 July. The third charge alleges that the accused caused serious injuries to more than 100 people.
Taken together, the charges encompass the deaths of at least six individuals and mass injuries during the crackdown on protesters in Chattogram — one of several cities where security forces and ruling-party affiliated groups were accused of lethal violence against demonstrators in the days before the Hasina government collapsed.
The appointment of state-appointed defence counsel is a legal mechanism that allows tribunals to proceed when accused persons are absent, ensuring due process formalities are observed even in absentia proceedings. The step signals that the tribunal intends to move the case forward regardless of whether the absconding accused surrender or are apprehended before the charge hearing.
Several high-profile figures from the former administration are currently facing proceedings before the International Crimes Tribunals on charges arising from the crackdown on the July uprising. Many remain outside Bangladesh.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for 4 June.
