Charges against Nanak, 28 others: Hearing deferred to April 26

The hearing on framing charges against 28 people, including former Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, in a crimes against humanity case over the killing of nine people in Mohammadpur during the 2024 mass uprising has been postponed to April 26.

The decision was made on Wednesday (April 15) by a judicial panel led by the chairman of International Crimes Tribunal-1.

Four accused have been arrested so far. They are Naimul Hasan Russell, president of the Mohammadpur police station unit of the banned Chhatra League, along with vice-presidents Sajjad Hossain, Omar Faruk and Fazle Rabbi.

Several high-profile accused remain absconding. They include former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Additional DIG Prolay Kumar Joarder, former DMP joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarker, and DNCC Ward 32 councillor Syed Hasan Noor Islam.

The tribunal issued arrest warrants against all 28 accused after accepting the prosecution’s formal complaint on January 18.

The hearing was initially scheduled for April 8 but was deferred after defence lawyers said they had not received necessary documents from the prosecution. The tribunal then set April 15 for the hearing, which has now been postponed again.

According to the prosecution, the charges include three counts of crimes against humanity linked to violence during the student-led mass movement on July 18 and 19, 2024. It alleges that members of the Awami League, Chhatra League and law enforcement agencies opened fire on protesters, resulting in the deaths of nine people, including Mahmudur Rahman Saikat and Farhan Faiyaz, and leaving many others injured.