International Crimes Tribunal Opens Trial of Rashed Khan Menon and Qamrul Islam in July Uprising Case

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The International Crimes Tribunal-1 in Bangladesh has officially commenced the trial of Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon and former Food Minister Qamrul Islam, both of whom face charges of crimes against humanity linked to the July mass uprising. The proceedings opened on Tuesday with the prosecution’s formal statement detailing the alleged roles of the two political figures in the violent crackdown on demonstrators.

Prosecutor B.M. Sultan Mahmud presented the opening statement, asserting that evidence points to direct provocation and instructions from both defendants regarding the imposition of curfews during the uprising. The prosecution alleges that the pair played a decisive role in the use of lethal force against protesters, which resulted in significant casualties. Specifically, the charges implicate them in the deaths of 23 individuals in the Rampura and Badda areas of the capital. Both Menon and Islam, who are currently in custody, were present in the courtroom for the opening of the trial.

Following the prosecution’s remarks, the court heard the initial testimony from Mohammad Sakib Ahmed, a 26-year-old student who participated in the protests. Ahmed, an English department student at the University of Information Technology and Sciences, recounted the events of July 19, 2024. He described attending a demonstration near BRAC University with several associates before encountering gunfire emanating from the direction of the Rampura Bridge.

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Ahmed testified that he witnessed his companion, Maruf, collapse on the sidewalk after being struck by a bullet in the abdomen. According to the witness, Maruf pleaded for his life before being rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital via ambulance. Despite their efforts, physicians at the hospital declared Maruf dead upon arrival.

The tribunal has adjourned the session, with the court scheduled to resume the cross-examination of Ahmed on June 29. The case involves three primary counts of crimes against humanity, centered on the lethal violence that took place in the Badda district and its surrounding neighborhoods during the height of the July unrest.