Dhaka, Aug 21 (V7N) – Sub-Inspector (SI) Sheikh Afzalul Haque has applied to serve as a public witness in the case of burning six bodies in Ashulia, Savar. The application was submitted on Thursday (August 21) before the International Crimes Tribunal-2.

On the same day, the tribunal, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, ordered the formal commencement of trial proceedings in the case involving the burning of bodies and the killing of seven people.

Earlier in the morning, eight arrested accused were produced before the tribunal. Out of the 16 accused, including former MP Saiful Islam, eight remain absconding. Lawyers have already been appointed by the tribunal to represent them.

Following hearings from both prosecution and defense on August 13, the tribunal had set Thursday as the date for delivering the order on charge framing.

According to case documents, a formal complaint was submitted to the tribunal on July 2, accusing 16 individuals of crimes against humanity. The charges stem from incidents in Ashulia, where on August 5 last year, six people were burned—five after death and one alive—while another person was killed on August 4.

END/SMA/AJ