The International Crimes Tribunal has scheduled the next hearing for July 3 regarding the indictment of eight individuals, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, in connection with the murder of six people during the July–August movement in Chankharpul, Dhaka.
The order was passed on Sunday, June 22, by a three-member judicial panel led by Tribunal Chairman Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mojumder.
During the session, the prosecution—led by Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam and assisted by MH Tamim, Mizanul Islam, and others—concluded their arguments in favor of framing charges against the accused.
Defense lawyers requested additional time to present arguments seeking discharge from the charges, which the tribunal granted. The hearing on the discharge petition is now scheduled for July 3.
The tribunal will also hear statements from court-appointed lawyer Kutub Uddin Ahmed, representing four accused who are currently absconding.
Four accused—former Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge (Operations) Md. Arshad Hossain, Constables Md. Sujan Mia, Md. Imaaz Hossain Iman, and Md. Nasirul Islam—were produced before the tribunal earlier in the day.
However, four others, including former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Md. Akhtarul Islam, and former Assistant Commissioner Md. Imrul of the Ramna Division, did not appear despite public summons previously issued by the tribunal.
The tribunal had earlier ordered arrest warrants and public notices for the absconding officers following the submission of the charge sheet on May 25.
The case centers on the fatal police firing on a peaceful student protest in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area on August 5 last year.
The incident resulted in the deaths of Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Mahdi Hasan Junayed, Md. Yakub, Md. Rakib Hawlader, Md. Ismamul Haque, and Manik Mia Shahrik.
