A retired Bangladesh Army brigadier general on Thursday told the International Crimes Tribunal that former Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) intelligence chief Lt Colonel (retd) Ziaul Ahsan directly ordered a series of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, including the murder of a Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) member whose body later surfaced with his abdomen slit open.

Testifying before International Crimes Tribunal-1 in a crimes against humanity case, retired Brigadier General Md Monirul Haque alleged that blindfolded detainees were taken aboard a trawler before being shot at point-blank range.

He said the victims' bodies were then tied to sacks filled with heavy stones, their abdomens slit open with knives to prevent them from resurfacing, and dumped into a river.

Monirul made the allegations while describing what he said were secret killing operations carried out under the direct supervision of the former RAB intelligence chief.

Monirul, who served as commanding officer of RAB-8 in Barishal between 2008 and 2012, said the killings were carried out under the direct supervision of then intelligence director Ziaul Ahsan.

He told the tribunal that in May 2010, several blindfolded detainees were transported to the Patharghata estuary, where he witnessed officers escort one captive to the edge of a boat, tie a heavy sack to his body, shoot him and slash his abdomen before throwing the body into the water. 

He said he later heard several more gunshots and bodies being discarded in the same manner.

According to the witness, a mutilated body recovered days later in Shoronkhola was identified through DNA testing as BDR member Nazrul, now Border Guard Bangladesh's predecessor force. 

He alleged Nazrul had been forcibly disappeared and killed out of revenge.

Monirul further testified that then RAB Director General Mokhlesur Rahman routinely instructed officers during headquarters meetings to eliminate certain detainees, using the Arabic phrase "Wajibatul Qatl" ("must be killed"), while alleged "crossfire" incidents were often staged after detainees had already been executed.

He also alleged that a boatman named Alkas, repeatedly used in the operations, later disappeared after Ziaul Ahsan allegedly ordered his elimination over fears he might leak information. Former RAB-8 second-in-command Major Sabbir refused to carry out the order, Monirul said.

The retired officer concluded that nearly all the secret operations he witnessed during his RAB service were "unjustified, uncontrolled and unlawful killings."

Ziaul Ahsan, who was present in the courtroom, listened to the testimony from the glass-enclosed dock and took notes. According to people present in court, he smiled during parts of the testimony describing the killings.

The tribunal is hearing a case against the former RAB official over allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and crimes against humanity.

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