The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) has ordered 15 army officers to be sent to jail in connection with three separate cases of crimes against humanity.

The order was issued on Wednesday (22 October) around 8:30 am by the three-member tribunal headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder. The other two members are Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Justice Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

A total of 32 people, including 25 former and current army officers, are facing charges in the three cases. Of them, 15 army officers were in military custody—14 currently serving and one on post-retirement leave.

The army officers appealed for bail, but the tribunal rejected their petitions and ordered their detention in jail.

Among those sent to prison are former Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Additional Director General Brig Gen Md Jahangir Alam, Brig Gen Tofayel Mostafa Sarwar, Brig Gen Md Kamrul Hasan, Brig Gen Md Mahbub Alam, Brig Gen K.M. Azad, Col Abdullah Al Momen, and Col Anwar Latif Khan (now on retirement leave).

Others include ex-RAB intelligence wing officials Lt Col Md Mashiur Rahman, Lt Col Saiful Islam Sumon, Lt Col Sarwar Bin Kashem, Lt Col Mohammad Redwanul Islam, and former Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officer Maj Md Rafat-bin-Alam.

The tribunal also ordered the detention of three former DGFI directors—Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, and Brig Gen Ahmed Tanvir Majahar Siddiqui.

Security was tightened in the capital from early morning, with police, RAB, BGB, and army personnel stationed around Kakrail, Matsya Bhaban, Paltan, and the High Court’s Mazargate area.

The first case involves allegations that opposition figures were abducted, secretly detained, and tortured inside the Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell operated by RAB during the Awami League’s tenure. In this case, formal charges naming Hasina and 16 others were submitted on October 8.

The second case was filed against Hasina and 12 others over enforced disappearances allegedly carried out at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), also known as the “Aynaghar.”

The third case accuses four officers, including BGB’s Lt Col Redwanul Islam, of crimes against humanity for the killing of 28 people during the July–August movement in Rampura.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam presented the charges before the tribunal and requested that they be accepted for trial. After a preliminary hearing, the tribunal issued arrest warrants and ordered the accused to appear by today (October 22).

[With inputs from UNB]