International Crimes Tribunal orders production of ex-military officer Ziaul Ahsan and Colonel Abdullah Al Momen in abduction cases
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The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) issued a series of directives on Sunday regarding high-profile cases of enforced disappearances and crimes against humanity. The tribunal ordered the production of former military officer Ziaul Ahsan in connection with the 2015 abduction of Salahuddin Ahmed, a former minister.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 27. Ziaul Ahsan is currently in custody in connection with several other pending cases involving similar charges.
Salahuddin Ahmed, who served as the BNP’s spokesperson at the time of his disappearance, filed a formal complaint with the tribunal’s chief prosecutor on June 19. His petition identifies numerous high-ranking officials from the ousted Awami League government, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, and former Special Branch chief Monirul Islam.
Salahuddin was allegedly abducted from a residence in Dhaka’s Uttara area on March 10, 2015. After remaining missing for two months, he was discovered by police in Shillong, Meghalaya, India, on May 11, 2015. He returned to Bangladesh on August 11, 2024, following the collapse of the Awami League government.
In a separate matter, the tribunal ordered the production of Colonel Abdullah Al Momen, an Additional Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in connection with the forced disappearance of a student named Zakir Hossain. Colonel Momen is currently detained at a sub-jail in Dhaka Cantonment. His hearing is also set for August 27.
Furthermore, the tribunal ordered the arrest of Air Force Wing Commander Saifur Rahman regarding the 2012 disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali, who vanished from Dhaka’s Banani area on April 17, 2012, and remains missing.
The ICT-1 also granted permission for the investigation agency to interrogate two former officials from the ousted administration for one day each regarding crimes against humanity during the July uprising. The individuals are Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the former advisor to the prime minister on power, energy and mineral resources, and former minister Muhammad Faruk Khan.
Additionally, the prosecution informed the tribunal that an investigation report has been filed against former Supreme Court Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik in connection with a case involving crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising. Prosecutor Md Mizanul Islam confirmed the filing, noting that while there are other suspects in the case, their identities are currently being withheld.
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