The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced seven people including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader to death for crimes against humanity committed during July Uprising.
Tribunal-2 headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury delivered the verdict on Tuesday. It is the seventh such verdict linked to the uprising. The other convicts are AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Saddam Hossain and Wali Asif Enan. All seven are currently fugitives and were tried in absentia.
According to the charge sheet, the accused issued coordinated directives with incitement and provocative statements to suppress the student-led movement between July and August 2024. Prosecutors said their actions led to armed attacks, media suppression and the deaths of more than 1,400 protesters with over 25,000 injured.
The case was formally filed on December 18 last year with charges framed on January 22. The trial began February 17 and 29 witnesses testified before arguments concluded on August 17.
Each accused faced specific allegations. Obaidul Quader allegedly ordered a "shoot-on-sight" directive and told Chhatra League leaders to suppress protesters. Saddam Hossain was accused of leading direct attacks at Dhaka University while Enan reportedly received instructions from ousted premier Sheikh Hasina according to a leaked recording aired by Al Jazeera.
State-appointed defense lawyers argued their clients held no command authority and denied any role in ordering violence.
So far the six verdicts have been delivered in July Uprising cases with 61 people convicted and 15 sentenced to death including Sheikh Hasina.
