Trial of Taposh, Nanok begins at ICT

The trial of former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, former minister Jahangir Kabir Nanok and 26 others in a crimes against humanity case over the killing of nine people in Mohammadpur during the July uprising formally began yesterday.

Proceedings at International Crimes Tribunal-1 opened with testimony from the first prosecution witness, Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan, father of slain student Mohammad Farhanul Islam Bhuiyan, widely known as Farhan Fayaz.

In an emotional deposition, Shahidul recounted how his only son was fatally shot during the uprising in Mohammadpur on July 18, 2024.

Other accused include former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, former DMP joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar, former additional deputy inspector general of police Proloy Kumar Joarder, Dhaka North Awami League president Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, and Mohammadpur Thana Awami League president MA Sattar.

Of the 28 accused, Fazle Rabbi, Naimul Hasan Rasel, Sajjad Hossain and Ansar member Omar Faruk are in custody.

Testifying before the tribunal, Shahidul said Farhan, a Class XI science student at Dhaka Residential Model College, had joined a peaceful protest near old Dhanmondi-27 on July 18.

He alleged that police and AL activists attacked the demonstrators and opened indiscriminate fire, during which Farhan was shot in the chest.

After learning that his son had been taken to a hospital in Lalmatia, Shahidul rushed there and found injured students covered in blood and crying in pain.

“I ran to the ICU and saw Farhan wearing an oxygen mask. I stood there praying to Allah. After some time, the doctors removed the mask and covered his face with a cloth. Then I understood that my son was no more,” he told the tribunal.

He further alleged that police and AL activists had surrounded the hospital and obstructed treatment for many injured students.

Farhan’s body was later taken out through the hospital’s rear gate for funeral preparations.

As the family transported the body to their ancestral home in Rupganj, Narayanganj, their convoy was stopped twice -- near Kakrail and Jatrabari -- and the vehicle carrying the body was vandalised by Awami League activists, Shahidul alleged.

He also said local AL activists gave the family only 40 minutes to complete the burial at their village home.

Meanwhile, in a separate crimes against humanity case over the killing of 28 people in Rampura during the July uprising, witness Md Liton Mia testified against four accused, including former BGB officers Lt Col Mohammad Redowanul Islam and Maj Rafat Bin Alam Moon, who were present in the dock.

The other accused are Rashedul Islam, then ADC of Khilgaon Zone, and Mashiur Rahman, then officer-in-charge of Rampura Police Station. Both are absconding.

Liton, who said he and his wife joined protests in Rampura on July 19 and were injured, testified that police and BGB personnel stationed around Rampura Bridge opened fire on protesters, killing several people, including 13-year-old Tamim Shikdar, Jan Sharif, Hafez Moslem Uddin, Sagar and Ashik.

Jan Sharif had been distributing water among protesters, he said.

Liton also alleged that helicopters overhead fired tear gas shells and sound grenades.