ICT orders jail for 15 army officers in crimes against humanity cases

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday ordered that 15 army officers be sent to jail after being shown arrested in three separate cases over alleged enforced disappearances, killings, and other crimes against humanity committed during the Awami League regime.

A three-member panel of the ICT-1, headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder and comprising Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and Judge Md Mohitul Haq Enam Chowdhury, passed the order after hearing a petition.

The accused officers, detained over allegations of disappearances and extrajudicial killings, were brought to the tribunal under tight security around 7:15 am. Their bail petitions were rejected, and the tribunal ordered that they be sent to jail.

Those sent to prison include former Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Additional Director General Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, Brig Gen Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan, Brig Gen Md Mahbub Alam, Brig Gen K.M. Azad, Col Abdullah Al Momen, and Col Anwar Latif Khan (now on retirement leave).

Other accused include former Rab intelligence officials Lt Col Md Mashiur Rahman, Lt Col Saiful Islam Sumon, Lt Col Sarwar Bin Kashem, Lt Col Mohammad Redwanul Islam, and former Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officer Maj Md Rafat-bin-Alam.

Additionally, the tribunal ordered the imprisonment of three former DGFI directors — Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, and Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Majahar Siddiqui.

Earlier in the day, the 15 accused were produced before the tribunal in connection with the three cases.

According to the prosecution, a total of 34 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, have been named as accused in the three cases. One case lists 17 accused, another names 13, and the third names four. Hasina has been named in two of the cases. Among the 25 army officers accused, 15 are currently in custody.

Security was tightened across Dhaka from early morning, with police, Rab, BGB, and army personnel deployed in key areas including Kakrail, Matsya Bhaban, Paltan, and the High Court’s Mazargate.

The first case alleges that opposition figures were abducted and secretly detained and tortured inside the Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell operated by Rab during the Awami League’s tenure. Formal charges in that case — naming Hasina and 16 others — were submitted on October 8.

The second case accuses Hasina and 12 others of enforced disappearances allegedly carried out at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), also known as “Aynaghar.”

The third case charges four officers, including BGB’s Lt Col Redwanul Islam, with crimes against humanity for the killing of 28 people during the July-August movement in Rampura.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam presented the charges before the tribunal and sought their acceptance for trial.

After a preliminary hearing, the tribunal issued arrest warrants and directed the accused to appear before it by Wednesday.