Key Highlights
- Former Minister, State Minister among 16 sent to jail in crimes against humanity case
- Former ICT State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak sang the national anthem after being taken to prison van
- Accused persons were produced before the court under tight security from various prisons including Keraniganj, Kashimpur
- Tribunal gives time till February 9 to submit investigation report
- Out of 45 accused in Obaidul Quader case, four have been sought to be discharged as charges have been filed against them
Former ICT State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak, who was arrested in a case of crimes against humanity, sang the national anthem after being taken to a prison van. Palak was heard singing the national anthem when he and 15 other high-ranking former government officials were taken to a prison van after 2 pm on Monday (December 8). Several others also joined in.
16 people appear in court under tight security
On Monday morning, around 9:45 am, police presented 16 people in prison vans under tight security from various prisons including Keraniganj and Kashimpur to the tribunal. All of them are accused in a case of crimes against humanity for murder and genocide centered on the July uprising.
Read more: Salahuddin Ahmed: “No Ideals, Only Manipulative Deception in the Name of Religion”
Those brought to court
The people who appeared in court are—
- Former Law Minister Anisul Haque
- Former Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni
- Former ICT State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak
- Former Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi
- Former Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu
- Former Food Minister Kamrul Islam
- Former Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak
- Former Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan
- workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon
- JSD President and former Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu
- Former Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik
- Former Home Secretary Jahangir Alam
- Former MP Solaiman Selim
- Former Prime Minister’s Advisor Tawfiq-e Elahi Chowdhury
- Former Private Industry and Investment Advisor to Sheikh Hasina Salman F Rahman
- Former State Minister Kamal Ahmed Majumder
However, former MP Faruk Khan was not brought to the court due to illness.
Progress of the case and further instructions
On this day, Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim highlighted the progress of the case and sought two more months to complete the investigation. After the hearing, the three-member judicial panel led by Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder ordered the submission of the investigation report by February 9.
As formal charges have been filed against four of the 45 people in Obaidul Quader’s case, they have been asked to be discharged. As a result, the prosecution said that investigation reports will be submitted against the rest.
Source: Bangla Vision
