The International Crimes Tribunal on Tuesday directed the police chief to explain how Awami League general secretary and former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader managed to leave the country despite an arrest warrant placed on him.
It asked the inspector general of police to submit his detailed explanation within two weeks.
The tribunal, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder and joined by Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired district judge Md Mohitul Haq Anam Chowdhury, issued the order during the hearing of crimes against humanity cases.
The tribunal set February 18 for the submission of the investigation reports and ordered the production of all arrested politicians on the same date for further proceedings.
The cases involve deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 45 other Awami League leaders, including Quader, over allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity during the July-August mass uprising.
Chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam brought to the tribunal鈥檚 attention that Obaidul Quader remained inside the country for months after the arrest warrant was issued by the tribunal.
He demanded clarification from law enforcement agencies on Quader鈥檚 whereabouts and the circumstances that allowed him to flee the country.
In response, the tribunal ordered the police to submit a report detailing their actions, Quader鈥檚 movements, and the mechanisms that facilitated his escape.
At a separate meeting on the day at the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner鈥檚 office, home affairs adviser retired Lieutenant Colonel Jahangir Alam Chowdhury admitted that the government was unaware of Quader鈥檚 location following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.
鈥榃e had no information on his whereabouts. If he was in the country, he would have been arrested,鈥� Jahangir said, responding to the allegations that Quader was inside the country for three months after the Awami League regime鈥檚 fall.
Prosecutor Tazul Islam reminded law enforcement officials of their obligation to uphold the tribunal鈥檚 directives, warning that non-compliance would be deemed a breach of duty to the state.
鈥楾here is scope under the law to take action against those who aid or facilitate such escapes. For now, we will refrain from taking that route,鈥� he cautioned.
Tajul also announced that the prosecution would utilise findings from the 鈥榙isappearance commission鈥� as evidence in the trial.
The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance in its interim report recently submitted to the chief adviser identified Sheikh Hasina as a central figure in orchestrating enforced disappearances and linked her to the July-August killings.
The tribunal granted the prosecution two additional months to complete investigation into the cases against Sheikh Hasina and 45 others. It also instructed the police chief to provide updates on the Interpol鈥檚 red notice against Hasina.
The tribunal set February 18 for the submission of the investigation reports and ordered the production of all arrested politicians on the same date.
On Tuesday, 16 high-profile individuals, including former ministers, bureaucrats and a retired justice, were brought before the tribunal. They include鈥攆ormer ministers Anisul Huq, Amir Hossain Amu , Qamrul Islam, Faruk Khan, Abdur Razzaque Khan, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Golam Dastagir Gazi, Rashed Khan Menon and Hasanul Haq Inu, Dipu Moni, Shajahan Khan, Zunaid Ahmed Polak, and former advisers to the primer minister Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Salman F Rahman.
Former justice Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and former home secretary Jahangir Alam were also produced before the tribunal in connection with the case.