The elder brother of Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, who was shot dead during the demonstrations of the Student Movement Against Discrimination on July 18, 2024, filed a complaint on Thursday with the International Crimes Tribunal chief prosecutor.
Seeking justice for Mugdho鈥檚 death, the complainant accused unidentified individuals of his killing.
A separate complaint was lodged against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 40 others, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the 2013 killing of Fayez Ahmed, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami鈥檚 Lakshmipur district unit.
On Thursday in a separate order, a tribunal comprising Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and Judge M Mohitul Hoque Anam Chowdhury directed the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to preserve all digital data and documents related to the July mass uprising.
The tribunal also instructed mobile operators and internet service providers to assist the ICT investigation. The directives followed an application filed by Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam.
鈥楾he ICT probe body has the jurisdiction to summon individuals, authorities, or documents without prior approval. Nevertheless, we sought and secured a formal order for transparency.鈥�
Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho鈥檚 elder brother, Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho, the chief executive officer of the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation, filed the complaint in connection with the killing of Mugdho who allegedly died after he was shot by the police in Uttara.
Video footage of 25-year-old Mugdho handing out water before his death on July 18 went viral on social media viewed by millions, intensifying protests across the country culminated in the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led regime on August 5 last year.
Speaking to journalists, Snigdho revealed that he submitted CCTV footage as evidence and urged the interim government to thoroughly investigate the incident to identify and prosecute those responsible.
鈥榃e鈥檝e taken the initiative to gather evidence ourselves to avoid delays in the pursuit of justice,鈥� he said, expressing hope that forensic experts would soon identify the culprits.
Recalling the events of July 18, 2024, Snigdho said, 鈥榃hen Mugdho was rushed to hospital after being shot, doctors declared him dead. They advised us to take his body away quickly, fearing police interference.鈥�
Dr Fayez Ahmed鈥檚 eldest son, Hasanul Banna, filed the complaint against 41 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former prime minister鈥檚 military adviser Tariq Ahmed Siddiqui, former Rapid Action Battalion additional director general Major General Ziaul Ahsan, and former RAB 11 commander Tarek Sayeed Mohammad.
According to Banna鈥檚 statement, on December 13, 2013 at 12:30am Dr Fayez Ahmed was forcibly taken to the roof of his house in Trimohoni area, beaten and shot dead. A vehicle bearing Rapid Action Battalion stickers allegedly broke through the gate and abducted Fayez from his second-floor room before killing him.
鈥極n the roof, my father was brutally beaten with the butt of a firearm, sustaining severe injuries to his head, face and body,鈥� Banna recounted in his statement. He demanded justice for the murder which he claims was orchestrated to suppress political dissent.
