July Uprising: First formal charges filed at tribunal

Formal charges of crimes against humanity have been filed at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Habibur Rahman and seven other policemen over the killing of six people in Dhaka’s Chankharpul during the July Uprising.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam submitted the charges to the tribunal on Sunday.

This marks the first chargesheet to be filed at the ICT since the interim government initiated proceedings to try the Awami League-led administration’s crackdown on student and public protests as crimes against humanity.

If the tribunal accepts the charges and proceeds with indictment, it will mark the beginning of the first trial related to the July Uprising.

Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said, “The chief prosecutor submitted the formal charges after reviewing the investigation report filed earlier by the tribunal’s Investigation Agency.”

“A hearing will be held at the tribunal today, after which the tribunal will decide on the next steps to be taken,” he added.

The six victims, including student Shahid Anas, were shot dead in the Chankharpul area on Aug 5, 2024, the day of the Sheikh Hasina government's fall amid a mass student-led uprising.

The tribunal’s Investigation Agency submitted its report to the prosecution on Apr 11.

Alongside Habibur, the accused include former DMP joint commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former additional deputy commissioner Shah Alam Md Akhtarul Islam and assistant commissioner Md Imrul of Ramna Zone, former inspector Arshad Hossain, and constables Sujon, Imaaz Hossain, and Nasirul Islam.

Four of the accused are currently absconding.