The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 on Monday fixed July 10 for passing order on charge framing in a crimes-against-humanity case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two others over their alleged roles in crimes committed during the July-August mass uprising, reports BSS.
The other two accused are former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
The three-member ICT-1 led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder on Monday passed the order, as both the prosecution and defence concluded their part of hearing on the matter.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam took part in the hearing for the prosecution and pleaded to frame charges against the three accused, while state-appointed defence counsel for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Advocate Amir Hossain argued for discharging his clients from the case.
Advocate Zayed Bin-Amjad stood for former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who was produced before the court for yesterday's hearing.
The prosecution on July 1 started placing their arguments for framing charges against the three accused. Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam had read out all the five charges pressed against the high profile trio on that day and pleaded to frame charges against them.
The ICT-1 on June 17 published notice on two national dailies, asking ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to surrender on June 24.
"...as per rules 31 of the International Crimes (Tribunal-1) Rules of Procedure 2010 (Amendment), 2025, they are hereby ordered to surrender at this tribunal on June 24, 2025. Otherwise, trial will be held in their absence as per section 10A of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973," the notice said.
As the two accused opted not to appear before the court in spite of court's notice, the tribunal on June 24 set today to hold hearing on charge framing.
The first tribunal on June 16 ordered the authorities concerned to publish notices on two national dailies, one in Bangla and another in English, asking the two fugitive convicts to give up before the court.
Earlier, the ICT-1 on June 1 took the formal charge, filed by the prosecution in the case, into cognizance and had set June 16 for passing further order in this connection.
In line with that order, Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam on June 16 said, of the three accused, Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal are yet to be arrested and police learned from different sources that they are in India right now.
The ICT chief prosecutor then pleaded for further direction from the tribunal in this connection.
