Ex-minister Latif Siddiqui sent to jail in ICT case over Shapla Chattar killings
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Thursday ordered former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui to be sent to jail after showing him arrested in a case over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the 2013 violence at Shapla Chattar in the capital's Motijheel area.
The order was passed by a three-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, after hearing an application filed by the prosecution seeking to show Latif arrested in the case.
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam and prosecutors Mizanul Islam and Gazi MH Tamim represented the prosecution during the hearing. Latif sought permission to address the tribunal, but the bench declined his request.
According to the prosecution, Latif was an accused in the case and an arrest warrant had been issued against him. Acting on the warrant, members of the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB) arrested him from his residence in the capital's Gulshan area on Wednesday evening.
On July 27, Tribunal-2 took cognisance of the formal charges submitted by the prosecution and issued arrest warrants against 31 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The tribunal also ordered 10 accused persons to appear before it and fixed August 16 for the next hearing.
With Latif's arrest, eight accused are now in custody in connection with the case. They include former minister Dr Dipu Moni, former state minister for home affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan, former inspector general of police AKM Shahidul Haque, Shahriar Kabir, president of the advisory council of the Committee for Resisting Killers and Collaborators of the Liberation War of 1971 (Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee), former deputy inspector general Abdul Jalil Mondal, and journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu.
Former minister Hasanul Haq Inu is currently in prison after being convicted in another case, while Abdur Razzaq is also under arrest. The remaining accused are absconding.
The prosecution has brought two charges of crimes against humanity in the case. The first relates to the deaths of 32 people, including Abu Bakar Siddik, during the operation at Shapla Chattar on May 5, 2013. The second concerns the deaths of 20 people, including Sadeq Mia, in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, on May 6, 2013, as well as other alleged killings across the country.
The prosecution further alleged that numerous people, including Rashedul Islam and Abu Yusuf, were seriously injured after being shot and tortured in alleged attempts to kill them.
According to the prosecution, the incidents constitute genocide, murder, attempted murder, torture, political and religious persecution, and crimes against humanity.