‘I saw blood-soaked rice coming out of his abdomen’: Witness recounts Mohammadpur killings at tribunal

A witness in a crimes-against-humanity case over the killing of nine people in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur during the July 2024 uprising told the International Crimes Tribunal on Monday that he saw a protester’s abdomen ripped open by gunfire, with blood-soaked rice spilling from the wound.

“When Raju’s mutilated body was brought in front of Janani Courier Service, I saw with my own eyes that blood-soaked rice was coming out of his abdomen,” Mamun Farazi told International Crimes Tribunal-1.

Mamun, a 31-year-old small businessman, testified as the eighth witness in the case before tribunal member Justice Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

He said he joined the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement after seeing Abu Sayeed shot by police in Rangpur on July 16, 2024.

Mamun testified that he joined protesters near Allah Karim Mosque in Mohammadpur after Asr prayers on July 18, when police and armed members of the Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League allegedly opened fire on demonstrators.

He said violence intensified the following day. After Friday prayers on July 19, Mamun joined protesters in the Banshbari area, where demonstrators came under heavy gunfire and sought shelter in an alley beside Janani Courier Service and inside the Oriental Kovan residential building.

Mamun alleged that Raju, one of those sheltering there, was dragged out by a police officer and Ansar member Omar Faruk and then shot.

Raju was taken to hospital on a motorcycle but died that day, he testified.

Mamun also alleged that RAB personnel fired from a helicopter at protesters near the Bosila three-road intersection later that afternoon.

He described seeing another protester, Jasim, collapse after being shot. One bullet severed two of Jasim’s fingers, while another passed through his chest, Mamun said.

“My clothes were soaked in Jasim’s blood,” he testified.

Jasim was taken to Suhrawardy Hospital and later died at the Chest Diseases Hospital on July 29, according to Mamun.

Mamun said he stopped joining demonstrations after being injured by a tear gas shell near the Mohammadpur footbridge on July 22.

In his testimony, he sought the maximum punishment for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others accused in the case. He also named former Dhaka mayor Fazle Noor Taposh, Awami League leader Jahangir Kabir Nanak and former senior police officials Habibur Rahman, Proloy Kumar Joarder, Biplob Kumar Sarker and Rowshanul Haque.

Four accused — Mohammadpur Chhatra League president Naimul Hasan Russell, vice-president Sajjad Hossain, Ansar member Omar Faruk and Jubo League activist Fazle Rabbi — have so far been arrested in the case.

Prosecutor Tarek Abdullah conducted the hearing, assisted by prosecutors Mamunur Rashid and Sultan Mahmud.

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