ICT-2 frames charges against Quader, 6 others

A tribunal yesterday charged Obaidul Quader and six other leaders of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations with crimes against humanity over atrocities during the July 2024 uprising.

Quader, also a former minister for road transport and bridges, was charged on three counts, while the six others face one count each. All the accused are absconding.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, framed the charges under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.

The other accused are Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim; former state minister for information Mohammad Ali Arafat; Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and its General Secretary Moinul Hossain Khan Nikhil; and Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan.

According to the prosecution, Quader, as AL general secretary and a cabinet minister, exercised command and control over law enforcement agencies and armed cadres of the AL, Jubo League and Chhatra League to violently suppress the quota reform movement that began on July 1, 2024.

Count 1 alleged that between July 11 and 16, 2024, Quader issued direct instructions to crush the movement, including exhortations to kill protesters, publicly branding demonstrators as “Razakars”, mobilising armed party cadres, financing violent operations and ordering internet throttling.

These acts allegedly led to the killing of six people and serious injuries to more than 300 on the Dhaka University campus, in Chattogram and elsewhere.

Count 2 said that between July 17 and 20, 2024, Quader directed nationwide preparations for repression, ordered street-level resistance by party forces, publicly endorsed curfews with “shoot-at-sight” instructions, conspired with senior leaders and law enforcement agencies, and authorised lethal operations, including helicopter firing.

During this period, 36 people were killed in the Mirpur and Mohakhali areas of the capital, the prosecution alleged.

Overall, the prosecution claims that more than 1,400 protesters were killed and over 25,000 seriously injured in widespread, systematic and targeted attacks carried out with the accused’s knowledge and involvement.

The tribunal fixed February 17 for the prosecution’s opening statement and the recording of witness testimony.

Meanwhile, the prosecution yesterday completed the second day of arguments in the Abu Sayed killing case. Arguments are set to resume on Sunday.