Crimes against humanity: Hasina, over two dozen journos sued in International Criminal Tribunal case

The former prime minister of Bangladesh is now facing 78 cases related to the protests, including 65 on murder charges, eight on allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide, three on charges of abduction, and two for other charges.

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File photo of ex-PM Sheikh Hasina. The charges lodged were on committing crimes against humanity and genocide during the anti-discrimination student movement. PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR

August 30, 2024

DHAKA – Lawyer MH Gazi Tamim filed the complaint on behalf of Golam Razzaque, father of Nasib Hasan Rihan, 17, a student of class XI at Mirpur BCIC College, who was shot dead in the capital’s Ring Road area in Shyamoli on August 5.

Rihan was shot in the face, head, and neck when law enforcers opened fire. He died on the spot, the lawyer said.

Hasina is now facing 78 cases related to the protests, including 65 on murder charges, eight on allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide, three on charges of abduction, and two for other charges.

According to the complaint, the accused journalists were “sycophants” of the Awami League government and published false news to instigate the genocide and crimes against humanity committed by the then government and law enforcers, thereby giving legitimacy to those crimes.

The journalists include Mozammel Babu, Nabanita Chowdhury, Subhash Singh Roy, Ahmed Zobair, Tushar Abdullah, Saiful Alam, Naeem Nizam, Farida Yasmin, Shyamol Dutta, Abden Khan, Prabash Amin, Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, Mithila Farzana, Zayadul Ahsan Pintu, Monjurul Islam, Ashish Saikat, Manash Ghosh, Pranab Saha, Masuda Bhatti, Munni Saha, JE Mamun, Swadesh Roy, Soma Islam, Shyamal Sarkar, and Ajay Das.

Apart from Sheikh Hasina, the other accused are former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asadduzzaman Khan Kamal, former law minister Anisul Huq, former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, former information minister Hasanul Haque Inu, former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, former state minister for posts, telecommunications and information technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, former textile and jute minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Atiqul Islam, former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, former DB chief Harun Or Rashid, former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, former director general of RAB Harun Or Rashid, former joint commissioner of DMP Biplob Kumar Sarkar, sacked Major General Ziaul Ahsan, former officer-in-charge of Adabor Police Station Mahabub Rahman, Chhatra League general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, former Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Nijhoom Mazumder, Dhaka University teacher Mesbah Kamal, former prime minister’s press secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan, former Information adviser to the PM Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, and former deputy press secretary to the PM Ashraful Alam Khokon.

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