The prosecution on Tuesday sought formal charges against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and eight others before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), accusing them of crimes against humanity over the killing of nine youths in what investigators described as a staged anti-militant operation in Dhaka's Kalyanpur in 2016.

The application was submitted before a three-member bench of ICT-1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim outlined the allegations and requested the tribunal to frame charges. Defence lawyers sought time to respond, prompting the tribunal to fix Aug. 2 for the next hearing.

Former inspector general of police AKM Shahidul Haque and former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, both under arrest, were produced before the tribunal.

The six absconding accused are Sheikh Hasina, former DMP additional commissioner Sheikh Muhammad Maruf Hasan, former Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime chief Monirul Islam, former DMP additional commissioner (crime) Krishna Pada Roy and former DMP additional commissioner (detective branch) Abdul Baten.

The case stems from the July 26, 2016 operation at the six-storey Jahaj Bari in Kalyanpur, days after the Holey Artisan Bakery attack.

Investigators alleged that the nine victims had been picked up from different parts of the country, held in secret detention facilities for two to three months and later confined at the building before being shot dead by members of SWAT, CTTC and other law enforcement units.

Authorities at the time said nine militants were killed during a counterterrorism operation codenamed Storm 26, claiming the suspects were linked to the banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh and that explosives, firearms and Islamic State flags were recovered from the scene.

The tribunal's investigation agency, however, alleged the operation was staged to portray the victims as militants, describing such operations as a routine practice during that period.