Mahmudur Rahman, Nahid to testify at ICT

Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman and Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), have been asked to testify before International Crimes Tribunal-1 as prosecution witnesses on September 15.

They are set to appear in the crimes against humanity case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and ex-IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Mamun has pleaded guilty and turned approver.

ICT prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim said both witnesses were scheduled to testify yesterday but could not attend due to personal reasons.

Tamim said the prosecution has submitted a list of 81 witnesses, of whom 45 have already testified. "Some will provide historical background. After that, seizure-list witnesses and the investigation officer will testify, and then no more witnesses will be called," he said.

"After that, we will move to arguments," Tamim said, adding that efforts are underway to complete all witness testimonies by the end of the month.

He further noted that the alleged crimes were not confined to July 2024. "These crimes began in 2009 in different forms and continued until July 2024," he said, adding that Mahmudur and Nahid would describe how the crimes evolved during that period.

In a separate development, ICT-1 has sent a police inspector and a constable to jail in connection with a crimes against humanity case over a 2016 incident in Chaugachha of Jashore, where two local Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders -- Israfil and Ruhul -- were shot in the knees.

Inspector Md Atikul Islam was sent to prison on Tuesday, while Constable Sajjadur Rahman was jailed yesterday.