After a 13-year wait, an application has been submitted to initiate the trial for the brutal genocide committed by Sheikh Hasina and her henchmen against ulema (scholars) and innocent madrasa students at Shapla Chattar. The Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal filed this application holding 41 individuals responsible, including Sheikh Hasina. Following the hearing, the tribunal has set November 16 for defense arguments.
Yesterday, Thursday, a three-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-2, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, framed charges after hearing the prosecution. The other two members of the tribunal are Md. Manjurul Basid and Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriyar Kabir. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Aminul Islam presented arguments regarding the charge-framing application. During the hearing, he detailed the separate formal charges brought against 41 accused, including Sheikh Hasina. He highlighted the background of the case and various aspects of the Awami League government’s regime, describing how Sheikh Hasina became a dictator. Concluding his arguments, he formally requested the commencement of the trial by framing charges against the accused. The tribunal subsequently set November 16 for the defense to present its arguments.
Apart from Sheikh Hasina, other accused in this case include former Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, banned Awami League Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, former Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Dr. Dipu Moni, Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, former State Minister Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, former Jubo League Chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury, former Awami MP Salahuddin Mahmud, Gonojagoron Moncho convener and spokesperson Dr. Imran H. Sarkar, former IGPs Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Dr. Mohammad Javed Patwary, Benzir Ahmed, former Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed, and other senior police officials.
Presenting the first charge, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Aminul Islam stated that at least 32 people were killed during a crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam’s grand rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, Dhaka, on May 5, 2013. The second charge accuses them of killing 20 people on May 6 of the same year in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, and other locations. In a third incident, 5 people were killed in Chattogram and 1 in Cumilla. The accused have been held responsible for creating the backdrop and ultimately for all these incidents.
He stated that the carnage at Shapla Chattar was a pre-planned event by the then Awami League government. Regarding the decision to use grenades and lethal weapons, the charge states that prior to the operation, a meeting between ministers and senior administration officials decided to use grenades and lethal weapons to suppress Hefazat leaders and activists. Under the section titled “Role of Law Enforcement Agencies,” it is mentioned that senior officials of the police, RAB, and BGB played a direct role in executing this top-level government plan.
There are 41 accused in this case, including Sheikh Hasina. Among them, 11 are in custody, including former IGP AKM Shahidul Haq, former ministers Hasanul Haq Inu, Dipu Moni, Abdur Razzaque, Shamsul Haque Tuku, Ziaul Ahsan, former DIG Abdul Jalil Mondal, Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriyar Kabir, 71 TV Managing Director Mozammel Babu, and the same channel’s Chief Reporter Farjana Rupa. Sheikh Hasina and the remaining 30 are currently fugitives. The 11 arrested accused were produced before the tribunal during yesterday’s hearing. The fugitives include Sheikh Hasina, former State Minister Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, former Jubo League Chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury, former RAB Director General Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, former Army Chief General (Retd.) Aziz Ahmed, former RAB Additional Director General (Ops) Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Majibur Rahman, former Additional IGP Sheikh Muhammad Maruf Hasan, former Additional IGP (SB) Mahbub Hossain Makhon, former Additional IGP (SB) Monirul Islam, former DMP DC (Headquarters and Administration) Md. Anwar Hossain, former DMP DC (Traffic-South) Ashrafuzzaman, former DMP ADC (Motijheel Zone) SM Mehedi Hasan, former DIG Harun-or-Rashid, former DIG Biplab Kumar Sarkar, former Super Superintendent Syed Nurul Islam, former DMP ADC (Motijheel Division) Asaduzzaman, retired Additional Superintendent of Police SM Shibli Noman, and the then Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Motijheel Police Station, BM Forman Ali.
Earlier on September 3, Tribunal-2 ordered notices to be published in two national dailies instructing 30 accused, including Sheikh Hasina, to surrender. Law enforcement personnel submitted Non-Execution Reports (NERs) to the prosecution stating that they could not be located even after visiting their permanent and temporary addresses. As they failed to surrender by September 16, an order was issued to treat the 30 accused as “fugitives” and appoint defense counsel at government expense. Simultaneously, today was fixed for the hearing on charge framing.
On July 27, Tribunal-2 took cognizance of the formal charges submitted by the prosecution against all 41 accused, ordering arrest warrants for the fugitives and the production of the arrested accused.
Judicial Timeline: Following the completion of the investigation, November 1 was fixed for the hearing on framing formal charges in the case. However, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haq could not appear in the tribunal on that day due to illness. Citing his absence, the tribunal granted the prosecution’s time petition and rescheduled the hearing for November 12.
Previously, on July 27, International Crimes Tribunal-2 took cognizance of the formal charges filed by the prosecution against the 41 accused, issuing arrest warrants for the fugitives. On September 3, Tribunal-2 ordered the publication of notices in two national dailies directing the 30 fugitive accused, including Sheikh Hasina, to surrender. Law enforcement agencies submitted ‘Non-Execution Reports’ (NERs) to the prosecution stating they could not trace them at their permanent and temporary addresses.
Later, on September 16, as they failed to surrender within the stipulated time, the tribunal declared the 30 accused as fugitives and ordered state-funded legal representation for them.
The Long-Awaited Trial: The incident dates back to May 5 and 6, 2013—13 years ago. Religious people and scholars of the country have been waiting for over a decade for justice regarding this heart-wrenching historical event.
Thirteen years ago, on May 5, 2013, hundreds of thousands of leaders and activists of the non-political organization Hefazat-e-Islam gathered at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel.
As the then Hasina government failed to address the demands presented from the rally, the gathering continued. When night fell on May 5, a bloody operation named “Operation Flash Out” was launched under the leadership of the then DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed, descending darkness and terror upon Motijheel-Shapla Chattar. Hefazat and people from various walks of life have continuously demanded justice for this cruelty and crime against humanity, carried out using the state apparatus to crush a peaceful sit-in.
According to a report by the human rights organization ‘Odhikar,’ 61 Hefazat-e-Islam activists were martyred by law enforcement attacks during the brutal crackdown codenamed “Operation Flash Out” at Shapla Chattar. Odhikar later published the names and identities of the martyrs.
For publishing this report, the then Awami League government filed a case against Odhikar’s Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and Director ASM Nasir Uddin Elan under Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, 2006 (Amended 2009). During the Awami League’s tenure, the court sentenced them to imprisonment.
The former Awami League government maintained a strict stance to prevent any information regarding casualties at Shapla Chattar from reaching the public.
Following the July 24 uprising, when Sheikh Hasina fled to India, demands for justice regarding the Shapla Chattar genocide resurfaced. A case alleging murder, torture, and crimes against humanity was filed with the International Crimes Tribunal on March 12, 2025. Representing Hefazat-e-Islam leaders Junaid Al Habib and Maulana Mamunul Haque, Azizul Haq Islamabadi appeared at the Chief Prosecutor’s office to file the complaint. Following the submission, Maulana Mamunul Haque stated, “We have filed the complaint. Now the prosecution will gather information and proceed with the case. We have sufficient data and evidence.”
Another complaint regarding the same matter was filed at the tribunal on behalf of Hefazat-e-Islam Joint Secretary General Mufti Harun Izhar.
The case includes specific name mentions of ousted Sheikh Hasina and Gonojagoron Moncho spokesperson Imran H. Sarkar. Other accused include former Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku, Major General (Retd.) Ziaul Ahsan, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, former IGP Benzir Ahmed, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haq, and former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Molla Nazrul Islam.
Mamunul Haque’s complaint names Sheikh Hasina, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former minister Rashed Khan Menon, former Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Fazle নূর Taposh, former minister Hasan Mahmud, former MP Haji Selim, former Prime Minister’s Advisor Salman F. Rahman, former Narayanganj MP Shamim Osman, former Prime Minister’s Advisor Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haq, former IGP Benzir Ahmed, former RAB Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan, DMP Additional Commissioner (DB) Harun-or-Rashid, former DMP Deputy Commissioner Biplab Kumar Sarkar, Ekatrer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriyar Kabir, Nirmul Committee member Professor Muntasir Mamoon, former International Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor Turin Afrooz, Gonojagoron Moncho Convener Imran H. Sarkar, former Ekattor TV CEO Mozammel Haque Babu, former Somoy TV Managing Director and CEO Ahmed Jobayer, bdnews24.com editor Subhash Singha Roy, former Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan, former Army Chief Aziz Ahmed, and NSI’s Md. Manzur Ahmed.
Following the conclusion of the investigation, in a letter dated December 8 of last year signed by Fateh Md. Iftekharul Alam, Assistant Director of the International Crimes Tribunal Investigation Agency and the investigating officer in the case, it was stated: “On May 5 and 6, 2013, forces of the former government, Awami League and other party leadership, and armed individuals deliberately imposed a blackout in Shapla Chattar, Motijheel, and surrounding areas, opening indiscriminate fire on the assembled activists. This resulted in genocide and crimes against humanity. The allegations to this effect are under investigation by the International Crimes Tribunal.”
The letter sought eight types of information regarding the operation. These include authenticated copies of the DMP’s security plan surrounding the rally, names, ranks, and mobile numbers of drivers of APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers), command vehicles, and riot cars used in the operation. Additionally, it requested records of weapons issued, ammunition used during the operation, authenticated copies of any administrative investigation reports into the shooting incidents, along with copies of FIRs (First Information Reports) and police reports.
Beyond the then Commissioner and senior DMP officials, the letter specifically requested information on 10 officers: SM Mehedi Hasan, then ADC (Additional Deputy Commissioner) of the Motijheel Division; Asaduzzaman, ADC; Mohammad Mainul Hasan, ADC of the Traffic (East) Division; Monzur Rahman, ADC of the Ramna Division; Anwar Hossain, ADC; Mashiur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioner of the DB (West) Division (currently imprisoned); Nasir Uddin Khan, ADC of DB (South); Harun-or-Rashid, the controversial officer and then DC of Lalbagh; and Deputy Commissioner (DC) Khan Muhammad Rezwan.
Furthermore, information was sought regarding all DMP Additional Commissioners, Joint Commissioners, DCs of all divisions including DB, DC Traffic (East), DC (Finance and Budget), DC (E&D), DC (Media), ADC Wari, ADC PRHRD, ADC Procurement, ADCs of all DB divisions, ACs, Assistant Commissioners of the Women Support Center and Investigation branch, AC (Assistant Commissioner) Motijheel and Khilgaon zones, AC Traffic Motijheel and Ramna zones, AC Patrol (Motijheel), OCs (Officers-in-Charge) of Paltan and Wari police stations, and officers who served as Inspector Investigation in Paltan, Ramna, Hazaribagh, Sabujbagh, and Motijheel police stations at the time.
