Bangladesh Tribunal sends 15 army officers to jail

In Bangladesh, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) has ordered that 15 army officers be sent to prison in connection with three separate cases of crimes against humanity. A three-member bench of ICT-1, headed by justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar issued the order around 8:30 am on Wednesday.Earlier, the officers were produced before the tribunal under tight security. According to Prothom Alo report, of the 15 officers ordered to be jailed, 14 are currently serving in the army, while one is on pre-retirement leave.

Those ordered to be sent to prison are: Brigadier General Md Jahangir Alam, former additional director general of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB); Brigadier General Tofayel Mustafa Sarwar; Brigadier General Md Kamrul Hasan; Brigadier General Md Mahbub Alam; Brigadier General KM Azad; Colonel Abdullah Al Momen; Colonel Anwar Latif Khan (currently on pre-retirement leave); Lt Colonel Md Mashiur Rahman, former director of RAB’s intelligence branch; Lt Colonel Saiful Islam Sumon; Lt Colonel Md Sarwar Bin Kashem; Lt Colonel Mohammad Redwanul Islam; and Major Md Rafat-bin-Alam, former Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officer, report said.The tribunal also sent to jail three former directors of the DGFI. They are: Major General Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, Brigadier General Md Mahbubur Rahman Siddiqui, and Brigadier General Ahmed Tanvir Mazhar Siddiqui,it said.

The tribunal’s directive follows their formal appearance in court earlier this morning, as part of the ongoing proceedings into three cases — two related to enforced disappearances and torture during the Awami League government’s tenure, and one concerning crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising.