Tribunal Orders Jail for 15 Army Officers over Crimes Against Humanity Cases

Bangladesh: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has ordered 15 army officers to be sent to jail in connection with three separate cases of crimes against humanity.

The order was delivered around 8:30 a.m on on Wednesday by the three-member bench of the tribunal led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, with Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Justice Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as members.

According to tribunal sources, 14 of the officers are currently serving in the army, while one is on retirement leave. The officers were produced before the tribunal at around 7:00 a.m.

The officials ordered to be sent to jail include former Additional Director General of RAB Brigadier General Md Jahangir Alam, Brigadier General Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Brigadier General Md Kamrul Hasan, Brigadier General Md Mahbub Alam, Brigadier KM Azad, Colonel Abdullah Al Momen, and Colonel Anwar Latif Khan (currently on pre-retirement leave). Others include RAB’s former intelligence wing director Lt Colonel Md Moshiur Rahman, Lt Colonel Saiful Islam Suman, Lt Colonel Md Sarwar Bin Kashem, Lt Colonel Mohammad Redwanul Islam, and former BGB officer Major Md Rafat-bin-Alam.

The tribunal also ordered the detention of three former DGFI directors — Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddique, and Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Majahar Siddique.

The hearings were held amid tight security at the old High Court premises in Dhaka, where the International Crimes Tribunal is located. Since early morning, heavy deployment of law enforcement agencies — including police, RAB, BGB, and APBn — was visible in and around the area. Security was also reinforced in nearby zones such as Karwan Bazar, Banglamotor, and Kakrail, with joint patrols by army and Ansar members.

The three cases involve incidents of enforced disappearances, torture, and other crimes allegedly committed during the previous Awami League government’s tenure, as well as atrocities during the July mass uprising in Dhaka’s Rampura and Banasree areas.

According to case documents, a total of 32 people — including 25 former and current army officers — have been accused. Among them, 15 are now in military custody.

In one of the two disappearance and torture cases, 17 individuals stand accused, including former RAB officials Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, Brig Gen Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan, Brig Gen Md Mahbub Alam, Brig Gen KM Azad, Col Abdullah Al Momen, Col Anwar Latif Khan, Lt Col Md Moshiur Rahman, Lt Col Saiful Islam Suman, and Lt Col Md Sarwar Bin Kashem.

Former RAB chiefs Benazir Ahmed (later IGP), M Khurshid Hossain, and Md Harun-or-Rashid are also accused in this case but remain fugitives. 

Others named as absconding include former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her former security adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former RAB director Lt Col (retd) Muhammad Khairul Islam.

Another case concerning disappearances and torture under the Awami League regime also names Sheikh Hasina and Tarique Ahmed Siddique among 13 accused. 

Three ex-DGFI directors — Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddique, and Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Majahar Siddique — were under military custody in this case.

Other accused include five former DGFI chiefs: Lt Gen (retd) Md Akbar Hossain, Maj Gen (retd) Md Saiful Abedin, Lt Gen (retd) Md Saiful Alam, Lt Gen (retd) Ahmed Tabrez Shams Chowdhury, and Maj Gen (retd) Hamidul Haque. 

Also charged are former DGFI officials Maj Gen (retd) Mohammad Touhidul Ul Islam, Maj Gen Kabir Ahmed, and Lt Col (retd) Mokhlesurul Haque — whose current whereabouts are uncertain, though some reports suggest they have fled abroad.

In the third case, related to the July uprising in Rampura and Banasree, the accused include former BGB officers Lt Col Mohammad Redwanul Islam and Maj Md Rafat-bin-Alam, former police ADC Md Rashedul Islam, and former OC Md Moshiur Rahman. Of them, Redwanul and Rafat are under army custody, while the two former police officials remain absconding.

The tribunal’s move marks a significant development in the ongoing investigations into alleged crimes against humanity involving state forces and high-ranking officials.