Nineteen individuals, including several former ministers and state ministers, have been brought before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on charges of committing genocide during the anti-discrimination movement that took place in July and August.
The accused were brought to the tribunal under tight security at 10:00 am on Sunday (April 20).
A three-member judicial panel headed by Tribunal Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumder presided over the proceedings. The other members of the panel are Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Justice Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
The accused include: former ministers from the Awami League government—Anisul Haque, Faruk Khan, Dr Dipu Moni, Abdur Razzak, Shajahan Khan, Golam Dastagir Gazi, Amir Hossain Amu, and Kamrul Islam; Workers Party President and former minister Rashed Khan Menon; JSD President Hasanul Haq Inu; former advisers to the Prime Minister Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Salman F Rahman; former state ministers Kamal Ahmed Majumder and Zunaid Ahmed Palak; former Appellate Division Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik; and former Home Secretary Jahangir Alam.
The tribunal had initially scheduled February 18 as the date for their appearance in connection with the genocide allegations during the student-led anti-discrimination protests. That date was set on December 17 of last year.
