The International Crimes Tribunal’s prosecution has said that 61 people have been killed in the investigation into the raid and killings at a rally of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh at Shapla Square in the capital’s Motijheel on May 5, 2013. Of these, 58 have been identified, while work is underway to identify the remaining three.
In a briefing held at his office on Sunday, Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Aminul Islam said that the draft report of the investigation agency has included information on 61 people killed. The list has been prepared based on information confirmed during the investigation.
He said, “The investigation report has been discussed with the leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam. The aim is that no real accused should be left out and no innocent person should be accused. If everything goes well, the formal charge of the case will be submitted to the International Crimes Tribunal on July 21.”
Maulana Mamunul Haque, joint secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam, who was present at the briefing, said that the actual number of deaths could be higher than their claims. He said that due to allegations of state-sponsored disappearances at the time, much information has not yet been included in the investigation. The information on the 61 people currently available has been presented based on verified information stored with the organization.
Hefazat’s senior Nayeb Amir Abdul Hamid, Mufti Harun Izhar and other leaders of the organization were also present at the time.
Earlier on the same morning, the report of the tribunal’s investigation agency reached the prosecution. The report named a total of 41 people, including fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former army chief General Aziz, as accused.
The list of accused also includes former Ekattor TV editor-in-chief Mozammel Haque Babu, former chief reporter Farzana Rupa, journalist Shahriar Kabir, the then police and RAB chief, and the then commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).