The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Tuesday framed charges against former premier Sheikh Hasina and 16 others including former and current army officers in a case over enforced disappearance and torture at the RAB’s Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell during the Awami League regime.
A three-member bench -1 headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder passed the order at noon.
The trial in the case began formally through the framing of charges.
Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam, prosecutors Gazi MH Tamim, Shaikh Mahdi and others stood for the state while lawyers representing the arrested and fugitive accused were also present in the court.
Rejecting the petitions submitted by the defence seeking discharge, the court framed charges against all the accused and ordered the trial to begin.
Police produced 10 arrested army officers before the tribunal amid the tight security.
They are former RAB Additional Director General Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, Brig Gen Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan, Brig Gen Md Mahabub Alam, Col KM Azad, Col Abdullah Al Momen, Col Anwar Latif Khan (on pre-retirement leave), former RAB Intelligence Wing Director Col Md Mashiur Rahman, Lt Col Saiful Islam Sumon and Lt Col Md Sarwar Bin Kashem.
Trial begins against Hasina, 5 ex-DGFI chiefs over enforced disappearances, torture
The fugitive accused are Sheikh Hasina, her former defence adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, former RAB Director General M Khurshid Hossain, former RAB chief Barrister Harun-or-Rashid and former RAB director Lt Col (retd) Md Khairul Islam.
The tribunal was initially scheduled to frame charges on December 21 but lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury sought a hearing on behalf of accused Tofayel, Kamrul and Mashiur Jewel, requesting additional time.
The tribunal later deferred the order by two days, fixing Tuesday for the decision.
Earlier, on October 8, the ICT-1 issued arrest warrants for 30 people, including Sheikh Hasina, her security adviser and five former DGFI chiefs, in two separate cases over allegations of enforced disappearance and torture at Joint Interrogation Cells (JIC) and TFI cells during the then AL rule.