The International Crimes Tribunal on Monday issued warrants for the arrest of two influential Awami League leaders and six police officers for their alleged involvement in committing crimes against humanity during the July-August mass uprising in 2024.
A two-member tribunal, comprising Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired judge Mohitul Haque Anam Chawdhury, issued the arrest warrants, responding to four applications filed by chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam over allegations linked to four complaints lodged with the prosecution鈥檚 office.
The identities of the accused were not published at the prosecution鈥檚 request to prevent their escape and facilitate their arrests.
One of the applications involves Shah Alam and three other police officers, another liked to the two Awami League leaders and two police officers, and the remaining two relate to separate incidents of alleged crimes during the uprising.
Prosecutor Gazi Monwar Hossain Tamim argued that prima facie evidence supported the allegations against the eight individuals.
He stressed the urgency of the arrests to prevent witness intimidation, protect victims鈥� families, and preserve evidence.
The tribunal directed the inspector general of police to arrest the four accused police officers and produce them before the court immediately.
It also set February 23 as the deadline for submitting an investigation report into one of the four complaints.
Earlier on Sunday, the tribunal had issued an arrest warrant against former Rapid Action Battalion director general Md Harun-or-Rashid for allegedly ordering helicopter shootings during the mass uprising.
The court had set February 23 for the submission of the investigation report in that case.
Regarding the two Awami League leaders, the tribunal instructed the IGP to ensure their immediate arrest and set March 27 for submitting the investigation report.
In another case, the tribunal issued warrants against two more police officers for alleged crimes against humanity, including one incident in Dhaka鈥檚 Mirpur area, with March 24 set for the investigation report.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam told journalists that many of the accused police officers were stationed in Dhaka during the uprising and had since been reassigned within and outside the capital.
He said that the ICT has so far issued arrest warrants against 96 individuals, including members of Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 cabinet, parliamentarians, and party leaders.
Tajul said that 35 to 40 individuals of them might still be apprehended.
He added that many accused officers of law enforcement agencies fled the country after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5, 2024.
