DHAKA, Nov 20, 2024 (BSS) - The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) today set December 19 for submitting probe report over allegations of killings, genocides and crimes against humanity against eight former security officials, including former director general (DG) of NTMC sacked Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan, whom the prosecution compared with Serbian atrocious war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic.

The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, fixed the date as the prosecution pleaded for two months time for submitting report on investigation against the alleged crimes committed by the arrested top security officials.

The other seven accused are- former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former additional superintendent of police (ASP) Abdullahel Kafi, former deputy commissioner (DC) Mirpur Zone Md Jasim Uddin Mollah, former Additional Superintendant of Police (ASP) Md Shahidur Islam, former officer-in-charge of Jatrabari Police Station Abul Hasan, former officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station Mazharul Islam and former detective branch (DB) of police inspector Arafat Hossain.

The tribunal also ordered to keep the eight accused in detention.

Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam at the start of today's proceedings pleaded for two months time to submit report of investigation into the alleged killings, genocides and crimes against humanity committed by the accused, saying the extent of the crimes committed by them is almost beyond the imagination.

"Around 2,000 people were killed, more than 25,000 were injured in the July-August mass uprising. We have received only 200 complaints so far. They have been accused of planning, preparation for the heinous crimes, ordering, abetment, complicity, inciting and participating in the crimes. We have received so many evidences that we need time to collect and compile those in order. Even the devil would be afraid of committing the crimes committed by these accused," the chief prosecutor said.

Muhammad Tajul Islam at that time read out a summary of the allegations brought against the accused.

Implicating former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun for all the crimes committed during the July-August mass uprising, the chief prosecutor said police, its different units like DB, CID and APBn, and RAB worked under his supreme command, and carried out the barbaric crimes that are rare in history.

 "He, being the supreme commanded, bears the liabilities behind all the crimes as he was in the superior position," the chief prosecutor said.

Comparing former director general (DG) of National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) sacked Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan with the Serbian atrocious war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, Tajul said as they were known as "Butcher of the Balkans", Ziaul Ahsan was the butcher of Bangla.

"He was the father of culture of enforced disappearance, torturing people in different torture centers, killing and disposal of the bodies. Whoever tried to raise their voice against Awami League government, Ziaul Ahsan, first being the senior official of RAB and later as the DG of NTMC, abducted them, made them victims of enforced disappearance, tortured them, put them through near death experience. Many of his victims are yet to return home," the chief prosecutor added.

"During his tenure as NTMC DG, Ziaul Ahsan imported many globally banned technologies or equipments, only to keep the people of opposite ideology and opinion under surveillance. Even during the July-August student-led mass uprising, the information blackout enforced by then government, was done following his order so that the people in and outside the country cannot learn about the atrocities being carried out by the government and its machineries," he said.

The chief prosecutor also narrated the crimes of Abdullahel Kafi, Md Shahidur Islam and Arafat Hossain in short, saying the police killed more than one hundred people in a single spot in Savar under Kafi's order.

"We will never be able to forget the horrific story of Asadul Yamin, who was shot and became unconscious. Then he was brutally thrown from an Armoured Personnel Carrier. He was left to die from his injuries as they barred people to take him to hospital. They were the officers, under whose guidance bodies of the protesters were set on fire to hide the evidences," Tajul said.

Meanwhile, at the end of today's proceedings, sacked Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan stood up inside the box, where he was made to sit with other accused, in the courtroom, and pleaded for court's permission to let him speak.

"The job I used to do was a technical one. I never worked in any Ayna Ghar (torture camp)," he said at the time. 

ICT Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder at that time asked him to raise his points through his lawyers, adding, "Being a responsible person, you should obey the court rules. If you want to raise any points, tell those through your lawyer."

The other members of the three-judge panel of the ICT are Justice Md Shofiqul Alam Mahmood and Judge M Mohitul Hoque Anam Chowdhury.

Prosecutors Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim, BM Sultan Mahmud and Abdullah Al Noman were present at the hearing today, among others.