A witness in the crimes against humanity case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and others said before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Monday that he heard the then PM instruct hospital authorities not to release or treat patients injured during the anti-discrimination movement.
Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were among the other accused.
"...I was taken from the Mitford Hospital to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation [NITOR], after getting shot by police in the Bijoynagar area on July 19. Then prime minister Sheikh Hasina came to the hospital on July 26 or 27, 2024," said the second prosecution witness Abdullah Al Imran, reports BSS.
She talked with me and realised I was an anti-discrimination activist. After that she talked to four or five more patients at the hospital. "As she was going out, I heard she was ordering the people at the hospital help desk, 'no release, no treatment'."
The witness, who was shot below his left knee by police, said he was shot at Bijoynagar Water Tank area, adding two other protesters were killed on the spot.
"At first I was taken to different private hospitals, but they refused to provide me any treatment. Later, I was taken to Mitford (Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital). There, doctors wanted to amputate my leg. Even though I agreed to do so, my well-wishers were reluctant, and I was shifted to NITOR," he added.
Imran said after Sheikh Hasina's instruction, the hospital authorities were not providing them with proper treatment and his leg started to rot.
"Bad smell was coming from my wounds, making people stay away from me. The antibiotic given by the hospital was not working on me, and the authorities were not allowing me to collect medicine from outside. My father at the time wanted to take me away for better treatment, but they were not discharging me. I realised it was the result of Sheikh Hasina's instruction for no release and no treatment," Imran testified.
The witness said the scenario changed drastically after August 5 as he was shifted from general bed to cabin, where he got proper treatment.
"So far, there have been 25 surgeries on my leg. But I cannot move my leg and it will not work anymore," the witness further said.
He accused Sheikh Hasina, Kamal and Al-Mamun for his ordeal and demanded justice.
After his testimony, Amir Hossain, the state appointed counsel for Hasina and Kamal, cross-examined him.
The first tribunal on July 10 indicted the trio for their role in crimes against humanity committed during the July-August mass uprising.
On June 17, the ICT-1 published notice in two national dailies, asking ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to surrender on June 24.
"...as per rules 31 of the International Crimes (Tribunal-1) Rules of Procedure 2010 (Amendment), 2025, they are hereby ordered to surrender at this tribunal on June 24, 2025. Otherwise, trials will be held in their absence as per section 10A of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973," the notice said.
As the two accused opted not to appear before the court in spite of court's notice, the tribunal on June 24 had set 4 August 2025 to hold a hearing on charge framing.
Earlier, the ICT-1 on June 1 took the formal charge, filed by the prosecution in the case, into cognisance and had set June 16 for passing further order in this connection.
In line with that order, Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam on June 16 said, of the three accused, Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal are yet to be arrested and police learned from different sources that they are in India right now.
The prosecution in the formal charge brought five charges against ousted Hasina, Kamal and Al-Mamun.
The investigation agency of the ICT on May 12 filed its probe report in the crimes against humanity and mass killing case.
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