The International Crimes Tribunal has postponed to Tuesday the order on forming charges against 17 individuals, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 10 arrested army officials, in the case of enforced disappearance and torture in the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act.
The order was given by the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday, headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder.
Earlier in the morning, the police produced the 10 arrested army officials from the special prison at Dhaka Cantonment before the tribunal. They are: former additional inspector general of RAB Brigadier Md Jahangir Alam, Brigadier General Tofail Mostafa Sarwar, Brigadier General Md Kamrul Hasan, Brigadier General Md Mahabub Ul Alam, Colonel KM Azad, Colonel Abdullah Al Momen, Colonel Anwar Latif Khan (on pre-retirement leave), former director of RAB intelligence Colonel Md Moshiur Rahman, Lieutenant Colonel Saiful Islam Sumon, and Lieutenant Colonel Md Sarwar bin Kashem.
Senior lawyer Monsurul Haque Chowdhury applied for hearings on behalf of Tofail, Kamrul, and Moshiur Juel, requesting a new date for the order.
However, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam opposed the plea, saying defence lawyers were delaying proceedings to inconvenience the court. After deliberation, the tribunal rescheduled the order for Tuesday.
The total number of accused in the case is 17, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Other absconding accused include former defence advisor Major General (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former IGP Benazir Ahmed, former DG of RAB M Khurshid Hossain, former additional director general of RAB Barrister Harun-or-Rashid, and former RAB director Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Md Khairul Islam.
On December 14, hearings were held for three accused by lawyers Hamidul Misbah and Tabarak Hossain. Other lawyers, including M Hasan Imam, Sujad Mia, and Md Amir Hossain, represented the remaining accused and Sheikh Hasina. Each argued separate grounds seeking acquittal, while Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim requested the tribunal to start the trial by forming charges.
On December 3, the chief prosecutor highlighted the atrocities in the TFI cell during the hearing and stated that after 16 years, a new Bangladesh has emerged as of August 5, 2024. He noted that victims of enforced disappearance were either sent to jail after false arrests or kept missing for 7–8 years in unknown locations.
On October 22, the 10 army officials were produced before the tribunal, remanded, and a notice was issued for the absconding accused. On October 8, the prosecution formally filed charges, and arrest warrants were issued against all 17 accused.
