Former Army Officer Faces Tribunal on Decades-Old Humanity Charges
A former officer of the Bangladesh Army, Mozaffar Hossain, appeared before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka today, facing serious allegations of crimes against humanity. Mr. Hossain was escorted to Tribunal-2 at approximately 9:20 AM, following a court order for his presence. He was subsequently taken to the tribunal’s holding cell.
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 had previously ordered Mr. Hossain to be presented in court today, July 25. This directive came in connection with a case involving alleged crimes against humanity. These offenses are said to have occurred during the significant mass uprising in July.
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam submitted an application that led to the tribunal’s order on July 21. Mr. Hossain is implicated in Mis Case No. 1/26, a lawsuit filed by the Chief Prosecutor’s office. Another individual accused in this same case is Lieutenant General (retired) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, who previously served as a Member of Parliament for Feni-3.
Mr. Hossain, now 77 years old, formerly held the rank of major in the Bangladesh Army. He was arrested on the night of July 15 by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). The arrest took place at a residence in Dhaka’s Banani area. The following day, Thursday, he was handed over to military police at the Dhaka Cantonment.
According to the Detective Branch, Mr. Hossain had allegedly been a fugitive for 45 years. These long-standing accusations related to his alleged involvement in the assassination of former President Ziaur Rahman. His appearance before the tribunal marks a significant development in a case reaching back several decades.
