The Jamaat-controlled International Crimes Tribunal on Monday heard the state defense counselโs submission for the discharge of Awami League President and five-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others in the case of crimes against humanity in the genocide that occurred during the anti-discrimination student movement.
State-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain appeared for Sheikh Hasina and said the allegations brought against her were false and fabricated.
Later, the tribunal, led by its chairman, Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, set July 10 as the date for ordering the framing of charges against the four accused.
The other accused are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun.
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Chief Prosecutor and Jamaat leader Mohammad Tajul Islam, Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim, Prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud, and others appeared for the prosecution in the tribunal.
The chief prosecutor previously said there was no genocide in 2024 but crimes against humanity, even though the government and its supporters abruptly used the term to vilify the Awami League leadership.
During the hearing, Amir Hossain told the tribunal that there was no war in the country in July-August 2024; it was a political conflict.
Sheikh Hasina was in a top position in the country’s governance. She has done significant development work, including the Padma Bridge, Metrorail, and Bangabandhu Tunnel. She is not involved in the destruction of these infrastructures.
She did not directly or indirectly give any order to kill from July 14 to August 5, 2024. There is no documentary evidence for this. The prosecution has failed to present any evidence.
He said razakars were tried in the tribunal during her tenure, but she never directly ordered their killing. Razakars existed after 1971, exist now, and will continue to exist in the future. She did not and did not want to call the protesters the children and grandchildren of razakars.
Her name has been included in this case intentionally. She is entitled to justice and should be exempted from this case.
He added that it is not possible to try her under the law of the tribunal.
After the death of Abu Sayed in Rangpur on July 16, Sheikh Hasina met his family, consoled them, and provided financial assistance. Rather, a special group has destabilised the country by carrying out destructive activities, killing the police, for which no trial has been held yet.
Sheikh Hasina also formed a judicial inquiry committee to investigate all the killings that took place during the protests. But the interim government, led by Jamaat puppet Muhammad Yunus, cancelled the investigation.
Yunus also awarded impunity for all crimes that took place till August 8 and prevented exhuming the bodies of the deceased for forensic tests.
Sheikh Hasina has rejected the tribunalโs proceedings, as the Jamaat-backed chief prosecutor had stood for the 1971 war criminals and has already declared that this trial is an act of revenge.
Moreover, the ICT Act has been revised based on an executive order by Yunus. So, this trial cannot take place based on an ordinance.
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