‘Accused could have easily stopped July killings’: ICT says as it sentences Habibur, two others to death

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on Sunday sentenced three former police officials, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Habibur Rahman, to death, saying the accused could have easily prevented the July killings if they had wanted to because they had the power to do so.

Announcing its verdict in the case over the shooting of a young man, Amir Hossain, hanging from the cornice of an under-construction building, as well as the killings of Nadim and Maya Islam, the tribunal said the prosecution had been able to prove that the principal accused, Habibur, had ordered the use of lethal weapons.

The related wireless message was presented directly before the court as evidence, in which subordinates were instructed to fire indiscriminately to suppress the movement.

In its observations, the tribunal said all the charges of crimes against humanity and murder brought against the accused had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The three-member judicial panel of ICT-1, led by its Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, began reading the verdict at 11:45am and concluded it at 12:30pm.

The other members of the bench were Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

The others sentenced to death were former ADC of Khilgaon Zone Rashedul Islam and former Rampura Police Station OC Mashiur Rahman.

Former SI Tarikul Islam Bhuiyan was sentenced to life imprisonment, while former ASI Chanchal Chandra Sarkar was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

At the time of the verdict, Chanchal Chandra Sarkar, the only accused arrested in the case, was seated in the dock. The other four have remained absconding since the outset.

The opening statement in the case was delivered by former Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam, while current Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam presented the closing arguments.

He thanked the prosecution team, staff and everyone else for their cooperation in completing the proceedings.

"I would especially like to thank the journalists. They worked very hard to publish information about the case."

In his opening remarks while reading the verdict, Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder said: "In this case, all the documents submitted by the prosecution, digital evidence, the UN human rights report and the accused's statements recorded under Section 164 have been taken into consideration. I will read the introductory part of the verdict, after which my two colleagues will read the sections explaining how the offences were proved."

In the sentencing portion of the verdict, the tribunal said that since all the charges of crimes against humanity and murder had been proved beyond reasonable doubt, Habibur Rahman, who as the superior commander had issued the orders, was sentenced to death.

Former ADC of Khilgaon Zone Rashedul Islam, who led the killings, and former Rampura Police Station OC Mashiur Rahman were also sentenced to death.

Former Rampura SI Tarikul Islam Bhuiyan was sentenced to life imprisonment for shooting Amir Hossain while he was hanging from the cornice.

Expressing satisfaction with the judgment, Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam said: "This is the right verdict. We are satisfied with it. At the same time, we thank the Almighty. We believe the families of those martyred and injured have received justice through this verdict."

He said Habibur Rahman had been overzealous in using lethal weapons to suppress the July Mass Uprising. He had issued wireless instructions authorising the use of lethal weapons, prompting police officers to engage in the killings.

Aminul Islam said Habibur had instructed his subordinates via a wireless message to shoot students and civilians in the legs to stop the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in July 2024.

Although his verbal instructions were to that effect, people were in fact shot in the chest and head.

Maya Islam and Nahid Islam were killed in this manner on July 19, 2024.

In addition, Chanchal Chandra Sarkar admitted to indiscriminately firing at Amir Hossain while he was hanging from the cornice.

According to his confession, the offence against him had been proved. He was therefore convicted on one of the three charges and acquitted on the remaining two.

Defence lawyer Sarwar Jahan Nippon, who represented Chanchal Chandra Sarkar, expressed disappointment with the verdict.

Pointing to his client's confession, Nippon said: "An extra-judicial confession has been produced against Chanchal Chandra Sarkar. We repeatedly appealed to the tribunal to take the matter into consideration, but it did not. Therefore, we cannot be satisfied with this verdict. We will appeal to the Appellate Division."

Nippon said his client did not possess any weapon on July 19, 2024.

"He was on duty at the Bangladesh Television Centre on July 19. That is mentioned in the CDR. Suddenly, the matter has been considered on the basis of a video, which we believe was not appropriate. That is why we have decided to file an appeal."

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam and prosecutors Gazi MH Tamim, Faruk Ahmed, Abdus Sattar Palowan, Shaikh Mahadi and Tarek Abdullah were present when the verdict was delivered.

Previously, March 4, 2026, had been fixed for delivery of the verdict.

However, the prosecution applied to submit fresh digital evidence. Subsequently, Amir Hossain, who had testified as the first witness, was recalled to give evidence again.

Earlier, on August 7, 2025, the prosecution submitted the formal charges.

On September 18, 2025, ICT-1 framed formal charges against the five accused on three counts and ordered the trial to begin.

The three charges were: During the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Amir Hossain, who was hanging from the cornice of a building in the Rampura area, was shot six times with a pistol; secondly, in Block H of Banasree, a six-year-old child was sitting on his grandmother's lap inside the house. A police bullet pierced the child's head before striking grandmother Maya Begum in the abdomen. Maya Islam died as a result. The child was treated in Singapore but remains unable to speak because of a brain injury; and third, a man named Nadim was martyred after being shot by police in the Banasree area.

A total of 13 witnesses testified in the case.

Amir Hossain was the first witness to testify, recounting how he was shot while hanging from the cornice. The wife of the deceased Nadim also gave an emotional deposition.

Testimony also described the tragic death of grandmother Maya Islam after a police bullet pierced child Musa's head before striking her in the abdomen.

Harrowing testimonies

Earlier during the trial, three victims and family members testified before the tribunal, recounting the events of July 19, 2024, and providing harrowing accounts of the violence in Rampura.

Amir Hossain told the tribunal that police ordered him to jump before opening fire.

"One officer told me to jump down. I refused and continued hanging onto the rod. That police officer then fired three rounds at me with his pistol... Another police officer came and fired three more rounds... I lost consciousness," he said.

Amir said he underwent lengthy treatment at several hospitals, including Dhaka Medical College Hospital, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and CRP in Savar.

Tabassum Akter Niha, wife of July uprising martyr Md Nadim Mizan, testified that her husband was shot after offering Friday prayers at a mosque in front of Rampura Police Station.

"I hold former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the police officers who fired the shots responsible. My children also seek justice for the killing of their father," she said.

Businessman Md Mostafizur Rahman, whose mother Maya Islam was killed and whose son Basit Khan Musa was critically injured, told the tribunal that a police bullet struck his son's head before hitting his mother.

"From the gate of my house, I could see Mashiur Rahman, along with several other police officers, opening fire directly," he claimed.

Following the incidents, the victims' families filed complaints with the tribunal.

On the night of January 26, 2025, a Dhaka Metropolitan Police team led by ICT Prosecutor Tanvir Hassan Zoha arrested former ASI Chanchal Chandra Sarkar from Dighinala in Khagrachhari.

On July 7, 2025, the prosecution submitted the formal charges.

Officials of the investigation agency submitted the investigation report to the Office of the Chief Prosecutor on July 31, 2025.

On August 10, 2025, the tribunal took cognisance of the three charges and issued arrest warrants against the five accused.

On August 25, 2025, it ordered the publication of newspaper notices directing the absconding accused to appear before the tribunal.

On September 1, 2025, the tribunal appointed State Defence counsel for the four absconding accused.

On September 16, 2025, state-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain appeared on behalf of the four absconding accused.

The recording of evidence began on October 23, 2025, with the prosecution's opening statement.