ICT-1 rebukes investigators over failure to arrest accused in Rampura case
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 today expressed
dissatisfaction with the investigation agency's handling of arrests in a crimes
against humanity case committed in Dhaka's Rampura area during the July
uprising.
During the charge framing hearing, the tribunal inquired whether the remaining
accused of the case were in the country or abroad.
Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam said it was unclear.
Tribunal
member Justice Shofiul Alam Mahmood said, "There are allegations that even
after tracing the accused, they are not being arrested. You have been given the
power to arrest. Even after that, only a small number have been
apprehended."
In response, Tajul Islam suggested such remarks might be inappropriate in the
open court, but Justice Shofiul Alam Mahmood pressed, "Why should we not
say? You have been given the power to arrest."
Tajul
Islam explained, "Immediately after a revolution, many accused fled.
Although we have the authority to arrest, we do not have weapons at our
disposal."
The
prosecution concluded the charge framing hearing today while the defence
lawyers, including the state-appointed counsel for the absconding accused and
the defense for the arrested accused, submitted discharge petitions.
The tribunal fixed next Tuesday (September 16) for the charge framing order.
In the
Rampura case, former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman and four others have been
named as accused.
Only one,
former assistant sub-inspector Chanchal Chandra Sarkar, is currently in
custody, while the remaining four are on the run.
The
accused include former Khilgaon zone additional deputy commissioner Rashedul
Islam, the then Rampura Police Station officer-in-charge Mashiur Rahman and
sub-inspector Tarikul Islam Bhuiyan.
The case
stemmed from alleged crimes against humanity committed in Rampura during the
July uprising. On July 19 last year, six-year-old Musa was shot and critically
injured during police action; the same bullet fatally struck his grandmother,
Maya Islam. Another victim, Md Nadim, was also shot dead.
In a
separate incident that day, a video circulated on social media showing
18-year-old Amir Hossain hanging from the ledge of an under-construction
building, with footage appearing to show two policemen firing at him at close
range.