Dhaka, Aug 03 (V7N) – Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was produced before the International Crimes Tribunal on Sunday morning as a public witness in a high-profile case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is charged with crimes against humanity related to the July-August 2024 massacre.

Al-Mamun, currently in custody at Keraniganj Central Jail, was brought to the tribunal at approximately 9:30 AM under tight security. This marks the first day of formal proceedings in the case, which has drawn national and international attention. The prosecution delivered its opening statement, and initial victim testimonies from the July Movement were also scheduled.

According to tribunal prosecutor Gazi M.H. Tamim, this case is among four major trials now underway, stemming from over 500 charges filed in the reconstituted International Crimes Tribunal regarding the alleged mass atrocities committed during the political unrest of July-August 2024.

Prosecutors revealed that Sheikh Hasina, along with former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, is currently absconding. As per international legal protocols, the tribunal has initiated in absentia proceedings, after a warrant was issued to Hasina's last known address.

Former IGP Abdullah Al-Mamun, who was arrested earlier in connection with the case, has confessed to his involvement and is now cooperating with the tribunal as a key witness. His testimony is expected to be pivotal in the prosecution’s case against the former prime minister and several top leaders of the Awami League.

The tribunal, presided over by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder, had earlier on July 10 formally indicted Sheikh Hasina and two others, rejecting appeals for exemption from trial. Investigations are ongoing against at least 17 senior leaders of the Awami League, including Obaidul Quader, with six more major cases in the pipeline.

The development marks a significant moment in Bangladesh's judicial and political history as the tribunal begins adjudicating one of the most explosive and consequential series of allegations since the country’s independence.

END/RH/AJ