Shots fired on DMP commissioner's order: July witness

A police witness has told the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) that former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Habibur Rahman issued instructions over wireless to use "Chinese rifle bullets" during the July Uprising, reports bdnews24.com.

He also identified officer Zakir Hossain, an inspector, in a video shown in court linked to a killing during the crackdown on Sunday.

The deposition was recorded before the bench of Tribunal-2, headed by retired District and Sessions Judge Md Monjurul Basid and member District and Sessions Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.

The witness Nahid Mia then wireless operator at Jatrabari Police Station, gave his statement as the 12th witness in the case.

He said, "Between 04:00 pm and 05:00 pm on July 18, 2024, the then DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman instructed over wireless that 'sheesha bullets and Chinese rifle rounds must be fired from a kneeling position' to control the movement."

He added that following the commissioner's instructions and a central operational plan, officers and forces from different divisions carried out firing at multiple locations.

Nahid also said, on the evening of Jul 18, Assistant Commissioner Nahid Ferdous of Demra zone demanded sheesha bullets over wireless, after which he delivered 200 rounds on the instruction of the Demra police chief.

On Jul 19, he said, he supplied another 400 rounds of Chinese rifle ammunition as requested by assistant commissioner of Demra traffic zone and Inspector (investigation) Zakir of Jatrabari Police.