DHAKA, Aug 02 (V7N) – The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is set to begin formal hearings tomorrow in the case against deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, on charges of crimes against humanity committed during the July Mass-uprising of 2024.

The prosecution will deliver its opening statement, and testimonies, including that of the first witness, are scheduled to commence tomorrow. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim confirmed this, stating, "The opening statement of the case will be presented tomorrow... It will be broadcast live, subject to the court's permission. The first testimony will also begin at the same time." The ICT has approved a live broadcast of the court’s proceedings, a significant move for a tribunal in Bangladesh.


The tribunal had previously accepted a petition from former IGP of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun to testify as a state witness. This acceptance was conditional on his full disclosure of all truths. During an earlier hearing, Al-Mamun admitted responsibility for mass killings during the protests and offered to assist the court by revealing key details surrounding the alleged atrocities.

On July 10, the tribunal formally indicted all three defendants, rejecting their appeals for dismissal of the charges and ordering the trial to proceed. The charges against them include mass killings, murder, and torture aimed at suppressing the protests.

Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal remain fugitives, while Al-Mamun is currently in custody. State-appointed defense lawyer Amir Hossain is representing the two absconding defendants, while Al-Mamun is represented by attorney Zayed Bin Amzad. The tribunal’s chief prosecutor, Mohammad Tajul Islam, who led the prosecution team during the indictment hearings (which were also broadcast), is set to lead the proceedings.

The July 2024 Mass-uprising was a series of protests, initially student-led, that escalated into a broader anti-government movement, ultimately leading to Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5, 2024. A UN report estimated that up to 1,400 people may have been killed during the unrest. The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, has made accountability for these events a key priority.

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