Former army officer Tarek Saaed 'beaten by prison guard', lawyer alleges; ICT orders medical treatment

The International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday ordered medical treatment in accordance with prison rules for former army officer Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Tarek Saeed Mohammad –  an accused in a case of crimes against humanity – after his lawyer alleged that his client was beaten up inside prison by guards.

The two-member judicial panel of Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, passed the order. The other member of the panel was Judge Noor Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.

Appearing for Tarek, Lawyer Mahmudul Hossain Rubel alleged that late on September 16, prison guards disconnected the electricity supply and carried out a sudden attack and torture on Tarek at Munshiganj jail. 

As a result, he sustained serious injuries to his head and various parts of his body. Claiming that the attack was carried out on the instructions of the jail superintendent, an application was made seeking proper medical treatment at the Bangladesh Medical University or Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

During the hearing, the lawyer also sought an impartial judicial investigation, but the application was subsequently withdrawn due to procedural defects.

Prosecutor Zahirul Amin told the court that Tarek Saeed is a death-row convict in the Narayanganj seven-murder case. 

He said the prosecution does not usually object to accused persons receiving treatment for illnesses. However, Tarek was present in court at the time and appeared healthy. 

After hearing both sides, the tribunal ordered that Tarek be provided with necessary medical treatment in accordance with prison rules.

Tarek, alongside former Major General (retired) Ziaul Ahsan, is accused in two cases of crimes against humanity filed over the enforced disappearance and killing of BNP leaders in Cumilla and Lakshmipur. 

He was also the former commanding officer of the Rapid Action Battalion-11 in Narayanganj and was sentenced to death among 15 others, for the abduction and killing of seven people in Narayanganj in April 2014. 

November 30 has been set as the date for submitting the investigation reports in the two cases.