Hifazat lodges complaint with ICT against Hasina, 49 others

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 49 others have been named in a complaint, lodged with the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) by Hifazat-e Islam, over the alleged mass killing during the Hifazat rally at Shapla Chattar in the capital 11 years ago, reports bdnews24.com.

Dhaka Metropolitan Hifazat-e Islam President Zunaid Al Habib submitted the complaint to the ICT chief prosecutor on Tuesday.

Tribunal prosecutor B M Sultan Mahmud said the complaint had been lodged, but he could not provide the names of the other suspects immediately.

On Aug 20, the religious outfit sought an investigation by the ICT into alleged genocide during its Dhaka rally in 2013 against Hasina and 18 others. Supreme Court lawyer Gazi M H Tamim - currently an ICT prosecutor - filed the complaint at the tribunal's investigation agency office.

The complaint named former ICT prosecutor Tureen Afroz, writer and journalist Shahriar Kabir, Dhaka University professor Muntasir Mamun, and Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker, among others.

On May 5, 2013, Hifazat leaders and activists blocked six entrances to the capital and took positions at Motijheel's Shapla Chattar. They vandalised hundreds of makeshift shops in Motijheel, Paltan, and adjacent areas, while also damaging several government and private establishments.

Clashes between police and the activists continued throughout the day. Later that night, they were cleared out from Motijheel in an operation by security forces.

According to a report by a human rights organisation called 'Odhikar,' as many as 61 people were killed during the raid at Shapla Chattar. However, police claimed that no one was killed during the crackdown, and only 11 died amid the day-long conflict.