The International Crimes Tribunal has ordered the start of trial against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 12 others, including five former DGFI DGs  in a crimes against humanity case over enforced disappearances and torture at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the Awami League regime.

A three-member panel of Tribunal-1 headed by its Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumder passed the order.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam appeared for the prosecution along with prosecutors Mizanul Islam, Gazi MH Tamim, Shaikh Mahdi and others.

Of the 10 fugitive accused, five served as DGFI directors general at different times.

They are Lieutenant General (retd) Mohammad Akbar Hossain,  Major General(retd) Saiful Abedin,  Lieutenant General(retd) Md Saiful Alam, Lieutenant General(retd) Ahmed Tabrez Shams Chowdhury and Major General(retd) Hamidul Haque.

The other accused are Sheikh Hasina’s former defence affairs adviser retired Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former DGFI director Major General(retd) Mohammad Touhidul Ul Islam, Major General(retd) Kabir Ahmed and Lieutenant Colonel(retd)  Mokhsurul Haque.

December 14 was fixed for the order on framing of charges but no order was issued that day and the tribunal later set Thursday for the decision.

At the same time, three accused who were earlier arrested by police were produced before the tribunal.

On November 9, advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu argued for the discharge of the three arrested accused, citing four grounds.

The tribunal said it would consider three grounds related to illegal detention, abduction and torture while the fourth ground concerned enforced disappearance.

The prosecution submitted five charges in the case.

During the December 7 hearing on charge framing, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam detailed what he described as horrific incidents of enforced disappearance and torture of government critics at the JIC.

He presented accounts of 26 people who were allegedly disappeared between October 22, 2015 and August 5, 2024, and sought framing of charges against all 13 accused.

Earlier, on November 23, state defence counsel was appointed for the fugitive accused.

Senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna was initially appointed to represent Sheikh Hasina at her request but he withdrew on December 3 due to illness after which Md Amir Hossain was appointed as her counsel.

On October 8, formal charges were submitted against the 13 accused.

The tribunal took cognisance of the charges and issued arrest warrants against them.