Hasina鈥檚 security adviser Tarique, ex-IGP Benazir included
The International Crimes Tribunal on Monday issued arrest warrants for deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her former security adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, and eight others over their alleged involvement in enforced disappearances during the Awami League鈥檚 15-year rule.
The tribunal comprising Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired district judge Md Mohitul Haq Anam Chowdhury, also directed that retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan, a former director of the Rapid Action Battalion, be produced before it on February 12, the date set for the next hearing in the case.
Ziaul is currently in the Dhaka Central Jail in connection with another case involving crimes against humanity during the July-August mass uprising which ultimately led to Hasina鈥檚 ouster and fleeing to India on August 5, 2024.
Since the fall of the Awami League government, at least 50 cases related to enforced disappearances, killings, genocide and crimes against humanity have been filed with the ICT.
These cases have implicated Hasina, senior leaders of the Awami League and its 14-party alliance and senior law enforcement officials.
Asked which cases of enforced disappearances prompted the ICT to issue arrest warrants for Hasina and 10 others, the tribunal chief prosecutor, Mohammad Tajul Islam, told reporters that the ICT acted on one of the many complaints it received regarding enforced disappearances during the Awami League regime.
On December 30, 2024, United People鈥檚 Democratic Front leader Michael Chakma lodged a written complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal chief prosecutor, accusing Hasina and eight others of crimes against humanity for his alleged enforced disappearance.
On September 23, 2024, the first case of enforced disappearance was filed with the tribunal against Hasina, Dhaka Metropolitan Police detective branch official Mashiur Rahman and 23 Hasina鈥檚 associates.
A businessman, Enamul Kabir, filed the complaint.
Enamul alleged that he was abducted from his business premises in Basabo area in the capital Dhaka on November 17, 2018 and held in captivity for 10 days.
Monday鈥檚 arrest warrant is the second such warrant issued by the ICT for Hasina.
The first warrant, issued on October 17, 2024, accused Hasina of genocide and crimes against humanity during the July-August uprising.
On the same day, arrest warrants were also issued for 45 others, including Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, also former road transport and bridges minister.
Tajul Islam, who filed the petition, said that the eight unnamed individuals against whom arrest warrants were issued were members of various law enforcement agencies.
Tajul accused these agencies of operating under Hasina鈥檚 directives to carry out enforced disappearances.
鈥楽heikh Hasina established a culture of enforced disappearances, which were systemically executed under her supervision. She bore greater responsibility for these heinous acts,鈥� Tajul told the tribunal.
The tribunal instructed the inspector general of police to report back on the execution status of the warrants by February 12.
Family members and victims of enforced disappearances attended the International Crimes Tribunal hearing on Monday, expressing hope for justice against those who were responsible for the crimes during the Awami League鈥檚 regime.
Sanjida Islam, coordinator of the Mayer Dak, a platform for families of enforced disappearance victims, said, 鈥楽ince the fall of the AL government on August 5, we have been waiting to see the arrest and prosecution of those who were involved in enforced disappearances.鈥�
Sanjida pointed to the systemic involvement of law enforcement agencies in these cases.
鈥榃hether it was the police, RAB, or the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, members of the law enforcers were complicit in each case,鈥� she said.
Dismissed army officer Lieutenant Colonel Hasinur Rahman, a survivor of enforced disappearance, shared his thoughts during the hearing. 鈥楶eople can now see how Sheikh Hasina misused government forces to instil fear and maintain control,鈥� he remarked.
Hasinur was abducted on August 8, 2018 by individuals who identified themselves as Detective Branch personnel. He was released nearly 18 months later and returned home at Mirpur DOHS in the capital Dhaka on February 21, 2020.
The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, in its interim report submitted to the interim government鈥檚 chief adviser on December 14, 2024, established prima facie evidence, accusing Sheikh Hasina, her former security adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique and senior government officials of orchestrating enforced disappearances.
The commission recorded 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances and scrutinised 758 of them. It estimated that the total number of victims could surpass 3,500.
Commission member Sazzad Hossain said that after the scrutiny it was found that 23 per cent of the victims remained missing, while 77 per cent reappeared.