Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes  Tribunal (ICT) Muhammad Tajul Islam -Photo : Collected

 
DHAKA, Oct 16, 2025 (BSS) - Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes 
Tribunal (ICT) Muhammad Tajul Islam today said the patriotic members of the 
Bangladesh Army had stood as a shield (for the innocents) during the July 
Mass Uprising in 2024, when police were indiscriminately killing people.
 
He made the observation while presenting the concluding arguments for the 
prosecution in the crimes against humanity case against three, including the 
ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
 
Talking to reporters later, the chief prosecutor said, "We told the tribunal 
that the entire state machinery was used to suppress the July Mass Uprising. 
But we have a patriotic force--the Bangladesh Army-- which the people of this 
country have always loved. When people see army members on the streets, they 
embrace them with emotion and shower them with flowers. It was this patriotic 
army that stood in the middle as a shield when police were shooting people 
indiscriminately."
 
Tajul Islam said that after August 3, 2024, members of the army came forward 
to protect the protesting students and the general people. "When police were 
firing on students in Mirpur, the army stood between them, fired blank shots 
to disperse the police, and tried to save lives. As a force, they played a 
crucial role, which we have placed before the tribunal," he added.
 
"Overall, except for the army, all other state apparatuses were used to 
commit the crimes aimed at suppressing the July Mass Uprising," the chief 
prosecutor further said.