The trial has begun against Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and three others in a crimes against humanity case linked to incidents that took place in Kushtia during the July–August mass uprising. As all four accused remain absconding, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 has issued arrest warrants against them.
On Sunday (November 2), the three-member judicial panel headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury of the International Crimes Tribunal-2 passed the order. The other two members of the panel are retired District and Sessions Judge Md. Manjurul Basid and District and Sessions Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.
Apart from Hanif, the other accused in the case are:
Sadur Uddin Khan, Chairman of Kushtia Zila Parishad and President of the Kushtia District Awami League,Azgar Ali, General Secretary of the Kushtia District Awami League, anAtaur Rahman Ata, Chairman of Kushtia Sadar Upazila.
On October 5, the prosecution filed formal charges against the four, bringing three specific allegations:
1️⃣ Delivering inciteful speeches,
2️⃣ Conspiring to commit crimes, and
3️⃣ Killing six people in Kushtia.
The tribunal took the charges into cognizance on October 6 and ordered the accused to appear before the court. However, when they failed to appear on October 14, the tribunal ordered public notification of the summons in newspapers.
During the July–August mass uprising, six people were killed and several others injured in Kushtia. Following the incidents, two separate cases were filed against Hasanul Haq Inu, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, and three others. The investigation agency later submitted its report, leading the tribunal to initiate formal trial proceedings.