Not facing pressure from any quarter

The ICT prosecution yesterday said it was not facing pressure from any quarter despite escalating violence ahead of the impending verdict in the crimes against humanity case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

ICT prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim told reporters that the tribunal was functioning as usual and that proceedings were taking place on schedule.

On November 13, the tribunal will fix the date for delivering the verdict in the case. Tamim said the Awami League and other political organisations were expected to announce programmes centring the verdict.

"We think the police and other law enforcement agencies are working for state security," he added.

The tribunal area has already been placed under tight security.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali yesterday visited the premises and reviewed the deployment.

Meanwhile, three prosecution witnesses testified before ICT-1 in the case against five former police officials, including former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, over the killing of two people and shooting of two others in Rampura during the July uprising.

Witness Linkon Mazhi, a staff nurse at Famous Specialised Hospital in Meradia, told the tribunal that on July 19 last year, around 80 to 100 gunshot victims came to the hospital for treatment.

"We provided primary care and referred those in critical condition to Dhaka Medical College Hospital," he said, adding that he helped rescue a bullet-hit man, later identified as Amir Hossain, from a nearby rooftop.

The tribunal set November 17 for the next hearing.