Bangladesh’s special tribunal to deliver verdict today in case against ex-PM Sheikh Hasina
Closing arguments concluded on October 23, with Attorney General Mohammad Tajul Islam and Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman presenting the prosecution’s final statements, as reported by Dhaka Tribune.
The International Crimes Tribunal will deliver its long-awaited verdict on Monday in the case accusing deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun of committing crimes against humanity during the July-August riots following the anti-discrimination student movement, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Tribunal-1, a three-member bench headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, is scheduled to announce its verdict this afternoon.
Closing arguments concluded on October 23, with Attorney General Mohammad Tajul Islam and Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman presenting the prosecution’s final statements, as reported by Dhaka Tribune.
State-appointed defense lawyer Md Amir Hossain argued on behalf of the accused in the presence of prosecutors Mizanul Islam, Gazi MH Tamim, Faruk Ahmed, Moinul Karim, ABM Sultan Mahmud and others.
According to Dhaka Tribune, the court had initially fixed November 13 for the decision and then rescheduled it to November 17.
By October 22, the state defense had presented arguments for the absconding accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, as well as the current “royal witness”, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
The prosecutor’s office asked for the heaviest penalty for all three.
After three days of presentations, the defense challenged the credibility of several key witnesses, including Mamun himself, Daily Amar Desh Editor Mahmdur Rahman and National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam, urging the court to acquit them.
Hossain completely rejected their statements, arguing that Mamun’s cooperation was coerced and that Mahmdur Rahman’s political leanings highlighted his statement. Mamun’s lawyer, Zayed Bin Amjad, later presented separate arguments on behalf of the accused witness.
A dramatic turn took place on July 10, when former IGP Mamun openly accepted responsibility for the killings and violence during the July-August riots.
Appearing before Tribunal-1, he stated: “The accusations of murder and genocide brought against us during the July-August movement are true. I plead guilty. I want to help the court unravel the full truth.”
His confession came the same day the court formally charged all three defendants and rejected their petitions for release.
The prosecution brought five charges of crimes against humanity, supported by extensive documentation: 8,747 pages in total, including 2,018 pages of references, 405 pages of seized material and a 2,724-page list of the dead.
With the decision due this afternoon, today’s ruling is expected to be one of the most significant decisions in the court’s recent history.
(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)
