Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has issued a public notice in two national newspapers, instructing ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to surrender before the tribunal by June 24.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the notice, signed by ICT Registrar ASM Ruhul Amin, was published in the daily Amar Desh and daily New Age. It mandates Hasina and Kamal to present themselves at the tribunal on the specified date to avoid trial in absentia, as outlined in section 10A of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
The directive follows an order from the three-member ICT-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, which was issued on June 16. The tribunal instructed the publication of notices in both Bangla and English dailies, urging the two fugitive convicts to comply with the tribunal's demands.
The charges against the ousted leaders stem from allegations of crimes against humanity related to the July-August mass uprising. The ICT-1 had formally acknowledged the prosecution's charges on June 1, subsequently setting June 16 as a date for further instructions. However, Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam noted that Hasina and Kamal remain at large, with information suggesting they are currently in India.
In response to their absence, the tribunal ordered the publication of notices in prominent national newspapers, demanding their appearance within a week. The court has scheduled June 24 for further proceedings in the case.
The prosecution has filed five charges against Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. These charges were supported by a probe report submitted by the ICT investigation agency on May 12, detailing accusations of crimes against humanity and mass killings.