July killings: ICT verdict in Hanif, three others’ crimes against humanity case on October 29

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 will deliver its verdict on October 29 in a crimes against humanity case against Mahbubul Alam Hanif, former joint general secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League, and three other party leaders over crimes committed in Kushtia during the 2024 July Uprising.

The tribunal set the verdict date on Tuesday after keeping the case awaiting verdict on October 7 following the conclusion of arguments by the prosecution and the defence.

The tribunal on November 2, 2025, indicted the accused, framing three specific charges against Hanif, Kushtia district Awami League president Sadar Uddin Khan, general secretary Azgar Ali and Kushtia city Awami League general secretary Ataur Rahman Khan Ata.

All the four accused are yet to be arrested and are being tried in absentia.

According to the prosecution, the charges against the four include endorsing provocative remarks by then Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader aimed at using the Bangladesh Chhatra League to suppress the movement, holding secret meetings in Kushtia to conspire and issue specific instructions for the indiscriminate killing of students and members of the public, and the brutal killing of six participants in the movement in the district.

Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim told the media that Hanif, as the Awami League’s joint general secretary, had accepted decisions taken by the government to suppress the uprising and arranged for their implementation through his subordinates.

He described Hanif as one of the leading civilian leaders in the area at the time and alleged that Hanif had instructed the authorities and party activists to carry out killings in the name of suppressing the movement through telephone conversations with the Kushtia superintendent of police, district and upazila chairmen, and party leaders and activists.

The prosecution has submitted the recordings of those conversations and audio clips to the tribunal as evidence, Tamim said.

“Like Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader and Bahauddin Nasim, Mahbubul Alam Hanif was equally involved in the same crimes. Therefore, we hope the tribunal will award him the maximum punishment,” he added.

The formal charge sheet was submitted to the tribunal on October 5 last year and taken into cognisance on October 6. The tribunal subsequently framed formal charges against the four accused on November 2, formally starting the trial.

During the proceedings, a total of 19 witnesses, including the investigation officer and eyewitnesses, testified before the tribunal. Their testimonies formed part of the evidence presented in the case concerning the violence in Kushtia during the uprising.