ICT Order to Complete Investigation Against Hasina Within a Month

The International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) has ordered the completion of the investigation against Sheikh Hasina in the genocide case within one month (December 17).

On Monday (November 18), a three-member judicial panel headed by the chairman of the International Criminal Tribunal Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar passed this order.

Earlier, the International Criminal Tribunal officially arrested 13 accused including 9 former ministers of the ousted Awami League government in the case filed in the July-August massacre.

The arrested accused are former Law Minister Anisul Huq, Faruk Khan, Dipu Moni, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haq Inu, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former Prime Minister's Advisor Salman F Rahman, Tawfiq-e-Elahi, Shahjahan Khan, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Golam Dastagir Gazi, retired Justice of Appellate Division Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and former Home Secretary Jahangir Alam.

After the appearance of these 13 accused in the tribunal, Chief Prosecutor Advocate Tajul Islam said in the hearing that Sheikh Hasina's crime against humanity started with the Pilkhana murder. Sheikh Hasina was at the centre of all the crimes against humanity during the Awami regime, including the mass murder in custody at Shapla Chatter by blackout. And these 13 accused were her accomplices.

He also said that in the last 15 years, there has been no such crime against humanity that Sheikh Hasina has not committed. And these present accused have cooperated with these criminal organizations. Sheikh Hasina wanted to extend power through a massacre in the latest student movement.

Incidentally, judicial proceedings at the International Crimes Tribunal began on October 17 with the issuance of arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina and 46 others on charges of crimes against humanity.