Hasina faces another ICT case

Another complaint was filed with the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina accusing her of committing crimes against humanity and genocide during the people’s uprising.

She was also accused in two more murder cases filed yesterday with two Dhaka courts.

The complaint at the International Crimes Tribunal was filed by Muhammad Sanaullah, a resident of Baro Roypara area of Munshiganj’s Gazaria.

The complaint said Sanaullah’s son Mehedi was killed during student protests near Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Narayanganj on July 20.

Eight others accused in the complaint are Obaidul Quader, Awami League general secretary and former road transport minister; Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former home minister; Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for telecommunications and IT; Mohammad Ali Arafat, former state minister for information; Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, former inspector general of police; Harun Or Rashid, former additional commissioner (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP); Habibur Rahman, former DMP commissioner; and Harun Ar Rashid, former director general of Rab.

Investigation of this complaint and the one filed on Wednesday will be held simultaneously, Ataur Rahman, deputy director (admin) of the investigation agency, told The Daily Star last night.

Once the probe is done, the agency will submit the report to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of the tribunal so that the next procedures can begin.

On Wednesday, Supreme Court lawyer Gazi MH Tamim filed a similar complaint on behalf of Bulbul Kabir, father of Alif Ahmed Siam, a 9th grader who, as per the complaint, was shot dead by police in Savar.

The Hasina-led government in March 2010 formed the International Crimes Tribunal to try those who committed crimes in 1971.

One of yesterday’s two murder cases against Hasina was filed by Tejgaon resident Abdullah Abu Sayeed Bhuiyan who accused Hasina and 15 other named and several unnamed people of killing Jobaid Hossain Imon, 12, in the capital’s Mohammadpur on July 19.

The complaint said the boy was shot dead by police during the protests for reforming quotas in government jobs.

The case was filed with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury.

The other accused are Obaidul Quader, former ministers Asaduzzaman, Anisul, Tajul Islam, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Hasan Mahmud and Mohammad A Arafat, former private industry affairs adviser to the prime minister Salman F Rahman, former lawmaker Mostofa Jalal Mohiuddin, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, former Rab DG Harun, former DMP commissioner Habibur, former additional IGP Kh Mahid Uddin, former DB chief Harun, former DMP joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarker, and several unnamed Rab members.

After a hearing, the magistrate recorded the complainant’s statement and directed the officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur Police Station to register the complaint as a first information report (FIR), said Nur Alam, an employee of the court.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar resident Abul Kalam filed the other case accusing Hasina, 10 named, and several unnamed others of killing Shahabuddin, 35, in the capital’s Agargaon on August 5.

The case was filed with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Faraha Diba Chanda.

The other accused are Quader, Asaduzzaman, Anisul, Hasan Mahmud, Arafat, Salman, Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, Habibur Rahman, Harun Or Rashid (DB) and Biplob Kumar Sarker.

The magistrate recorded the complainant’s statement and directed the officer-in-charge of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station to register the complaint.

The previous government fell after Hasina on August 5 fled to India amid a mass uprising that began as a student protest for reforming quotas in government jobs.

Over 550 people, including students and law enforcers, were killed in violence during the uprising.