Ziaul killed 30 people including Ilias Ali

A witness and serving army member, Imrul Kayesh, has told the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) that former military officer Ziaul Ahsan was responsible for the enforced disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali and the killing of 30 individuals.

His testimony was recorded on Sunday as the fifth witness in the ongoing case before the tribunal.

During the hearing, Imrul Kayesh stated that he had served as Ziaul Ahsan’s bodyguard during his military career.

He alleged that Ziaul Ahsan was involved in the killing of 10 members of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) in what were described as crossfire incidents, and further linked him to the disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali.

The witness went on to claim that a total of 30 people had been killed in incidents connected to the former officer.

Following the testimony, Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam described Ziaul Ahsan as a “ruthless killer” while speaking to journalists.

He said that the testimony had revealed significant information against the accused.

The Chief Prosecutor also commented that Ziaul Ahsan, who was present in the dock, appeared to remain in a cheerful mood throughout the proceedings.

Ziaul Ahsan, former Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), was arrested after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August 2024.

He has since been facing trial at the ICT on charges related to enforced disappearances and murder and remains in custody as proceedings continue.