Mass killings case against Hasina: ICT extends deadline for probe report submission

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has extended the deadline by two months for submitting the probe report against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a case involving mass killings and crimes against humanity during the student-mass uprising.

Additionally, the tribunal has also extended the deadline by two months for submitting the probe report in another case involving mass killing and crimes against humanity against former ministers, state ministers, and 45 others from the Awami League regime.

The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, passed the order on Tuesday morning. 

Earlier, the tribunal had given one month for the submission of the probe reports against Sheikh Hasina and other 45 accused. 

The reports were scheduled to be submitted on Tuesday, but the Chief Prosecutor’s Office failed to do so.

During Tuesday hearing, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam told the tribunal that a substantial amount of evidence and information has been collected against the accused, requiring additional time for verification. 

He requested two months each to submit the investigation reports—one against Sheikh Hasina and the other against Obaidul Quader and 45 others. 

The tribunal accepted both petitions and set February 18 as the new deadline for submitting the reports.

Earlier in the day, 16 prominent figures, including former ministers, advisers, and state ministers from the Awami League regime, were  brought before the ICT in connection with charges of mass killings and crimes against humanity.

The tribunal was expected to receive an investigation report against these individuals on Tuesday.

Those brought before the tribunal include former law minister Anisul Huq, industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, food minister Qamrul Islam, civil aviation and tourism minister Lt Col (Retd) Faruk Khan, agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque, former minister and workers party president Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Haq Inu, former prime minister's adviser on power, energy, and mineral resources Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, former minister Kamal Ahmed Majumder, former minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, former Justice Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, and former home secretary Jahangir Alam. These 16 individuals are part of a total of 45 accused in the case.