ICT probe body reconstituted with appointment of 10 policemen

The government has reconstituted the probe body of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) with the appointment of 10 members, two of whom are former police officials, to carry out investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during the recent mass uprising.

The Ministry of Home Affairs today (18 September) issued a gazette notification to this end.

The development comes three days after ICT chief prosecutor Md Tajul Islam said the tribunal was expected to be reconstituted within a week.

"The prosecution is not being able to obtain crucial orders from the tribunal unless it is reconstituted. The adviser has assured me. The trial process will start formally after the reconstitution of the tribunal," he said on the day.

The latest appointments have been given exercising the power bestowed upon them under section 8(1) of the International Crimes Tribunal (Tribunals) Act, 1973, with the President's permission, according to the ministry notice.

The body will investigate the crimes described under section 3 of the ICT Act.

The newly appointed ICT members are additional deputy inspector general (Addl DIG-retd) Md Mazharul Haque, police super (retd)  Muhammad Shahidullah Chowdhury, additional police super of anti-terrorism unit Md Alamgir, additional police super, PBI (Police Bureau of Investigation), Headquarters, Md Monirul Islam, additional police super, Special Branch, Dhaka, Md Jane Alam Khan,  assistant police super, traffic and driving school, Dhaka, Syed Abdur Rouf, police inspector (unarmed), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Dhaka Metro, Md Yunus,  police inspector (unarmed), Charghat Model Police Station, Rajshahi, Md Masud Parvez, police inspector (unarmed) RRF, Dhaka, Muhammad Alamgir Sarker  and police inspector (unarmed), CID, Dhaka metro (north) Md Mashiur Rahman.

The officials of the ICT probe body have been entrusted with conducting probe and extend cooperation to the tribunal's prosecution team to hold trials under the ICT Act, 1973, the circular said.

Earlier on 14 September, Tajul Islam said letters are being sent to all the media houses, public and private hospitals, civil surgeons, deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) seeking authentic data regarding the mass killings carried out on the orders of the previous government during the July-August student protests.

"We have visited hospitals to collect data on the July-August genocide. Letters are also being sent to various cemetery management authorities seeking information. This will continue until we collect all the right information regarding the genocide," he said, reports BSS.