Hasina and 28 journos accused in ICT case

A complaint was filed against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, 28 journalists, and others yesterday on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide.
The complaint was filed with the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal.
It mentioned that the accused journalists termed the protesting students and people razakars and terrorists who were on a rampage.
Referring to a press conference, the complaint said the accused journalists “through different questions, made instigating remarks and provoked Sheikh Hasina to eliminate the protesting students and general public”.  
Several ministers of the Awami League government, noted educationist Prof Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, former Supreme Court judge Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, Dhaka University teacher Prof Mesbah Kamal were also accused.
Supreme Court lawyer MH Gazi Tamim filed the complaint on behalf of Golam Razzaque, father of Nasib Hasan Rihan, 17, who was shot dead in the capital’s Shyamoli Ring Road area on August 5.
The class-XI student was shot in the head when police opened fire, the complaint said.
Ataur Rahman, deputy director (admin) of the tribunal’s investigation agency, said the complaint was registered and a probe was launched.
Hasina is now accused in eight complaints filed over crimes against humanity and genocide.
Seven of the complaints are about individuals killed during the quota reform protests and subsequent people’s uprising that led to the fall of her government.
The other one is about the killings after a Hefazat-e-Islam rally in the capital in May, 2013.
According to yesterday’s complaint, some of the 52 accused shot dead unarmed people as per the direction and plan of the other accused. The former were provoked and instigated by the latter.
The accused journalists were “sycophants”, who in support of the AL government, “published false news to instigate” the genocide and crimes against humanity committed by the then government and law enforcers.
They are Naimul Islam Khan, former press secretary to Hasina; Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former media adviser to the Hasina; Farida Yasmin, former president of Jatiya Press Club; Shyamal Dutta, editor of Bhorer Kagoj; Mozammel Babu of Ekattor TV; Nabanita Chowdhury and Subhash Singh Roy of abnews24.com; Ahmed Zobair of Somoy TV; Tushar Abdullah of Ekhon TV; Saiful Alam, editor of Jugantor; Naeem Nizam, editor of Bangladesh Pratidin; and Abed Khan, former editor of Samakal.
The other accused journalists are Probhash 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.
Former ministers and state ministers accused are Obaidul Quader, Asadduzzaman Khan Kamal, Anisul Huq, Hasan Mahmud, Hasanul Haque Inu, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Mohammad Ali Arafat, and Jahangir Kabir Nanak.
Besides, former mayor Atiqul Islam, former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, former DB chief Harun Or Rashid, former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, former director general of RAB Harun Or Rashid, former DMP joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar, Maj Gen (sacked) Ziaul Ahsan, former OC of Adabor Police Station Mahabub Rahman, Chhatra League president Saddam and general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, and former prime minister’s deputy press secretary Ashraful Alam Khokon.
The Hasina-led government formed the International Crimes Tribunal in March 2010 to try those who committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. Later ICT-2 was formed. At least six BNP and Jamaat leaders were executed following the ICT verdicts.
The filing of complaints against Hasina with the ICT started after Law Adviser Asif Nazrul on August 15 said the involvement of the highest position holders of the immediate past government has been examined, and it is possible to put them on trial.