DHAKA, Aug 13, 2025 (BSS) - Three new prosecution witnesses (PWs) have 
testified at International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 in a crimes against 
humanity case filed over the killings of six innocent people in the city's 
Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024.

Today Rahima Akter, mother of martyr Md Yakub and his uncle Shahid Ahammed 
testified in the case. After that Md Mohibul Haque, elder brother of martyr 
Md Ismamul Haque, submitted his deposition. The three witnesses demanded 
justice over the death of their loved ones and pleaded for exemplary 
punishment for all the accused including the then prime minister Sheikh 
Hasina.

At the end of today's proceedings, by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, 
chairman of the three-member panel of the ICT-1, adjourned the hearing till 
August 20.

Prosecutors Mizanul Islam took part in today's hearing.

Earlier on August 12, Shaikh Burhanuddin Post Graduate College teacher 
Anjuara Yasmin testified as second prosecution witness (PW) and was later 
cross-examined by the defence. Later, July Mass Uprising martyr Sheikh Mehedi 
Hasan Junayed's father Sheikh Jamal Hasan testified as third prosecution 
witness. 

Earlier on August 11, Shahriar Khan Palash, father of martyr Shahriar Khan 
Anas, testified as PW-1, narrating heart-wrenching incidents of August 5, 
2024, when his son along with five other innocent people were brutally killed 
by the law enforcers in the Chankharpul area.

Before the submission of his deposition, ICT Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul 
Islam placed opening statement in the case.

The first tribunal on July 14 framed charges against eight accused in a 
crimes against humanity case filed over the killings of six innocent people 
in the city's Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024.

The prosecution, led by Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam on July 3 had 
argued for framing charges against the accused, while the defence counsels 
moved their discharge petitions for their clients.

Advocate Saddam Hossain Ovy argued for accused Inspector Arshad, Barrister 
Sifat Mahmud for constable Md Sujon, Advocate Shibli Sadekin for constable 
Imaj Hossain Emon, Advocate Abul Hasan for constable Nasirul Islam and state-
appointed counsel Advocate Md Kutubuddin defended four fugitive accused at 
the tribunal.

The ICT-1 on June 3 ordered authorities concerned to publish a notice in two 
national dailies, asking the four fugitive accused to appear before it. The 
four fugitive accused are former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner 
Habibur Rahman, former DMP Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former 
Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam and former 
Assistant Commissioner of DMP's Ramna Zone Mohammad Imrul.

The notice was published on the next day. The four fugitives, however, 
remained absent, prompting the tribunal to appoint Advocate Md Kutubuddin as 
the state's defence to defend the accused.

The prosecution on May 25 filed the formal charge against eight in the crimes 
against humanity case lodged over the killings of six innocent people in the 
city's Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024. It was the maiden formal charge 
filed at the ICT in the cases lodged over the July-August mass uprising.

Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Mahdi Hasan Zunayed, Md Yakub, Md Rakib Hawlader, 
Md Ismamul Haque and Manik Miah were martyred in Chankharpul area on that day 
(August 5).

The investigation agency of the tribunal filed the 90-page probe report on 
April 20 last.