Killing of Abu Sayed: ICT-2 frames charges against 30 accused

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday framed charges against 30 individuals, including Begum Rokeya University's former vice-chancellor Md Hasibur Rashid, senior officials, and police personnel, in a case filed over the killing of student protester Abu Sayed in Rangpur during last year's July uprising.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, passed the indictment order after reading out the charges to six of the accused. It then fixed August 27 to begin the trial.
The six, all currently in jail, were produced before the court, which detailed their alleged roles in aiding, inciting, or directly carrying out the shooting that killed Sayed, who was unarmed at the time.
The trial against the 24 others, who remain absconding, will proceed in absentia. State-appointed defence lawyers will represent them.
Those present in court were former proctor Shariful Islam, assistant registrar Rafiul Hasan Rasel, university staffer Anwar Parvez, assistant sub-inspector Amir Hossain, constable Sujan Chandra Roy, and banned Chhatra League leader Imran Chowdhury Akash.
Reading out the charges, the tribunal chair said, "Md Shariful Islam, former proctor of the university, acted not out of loyalty to the state but in obedience and collaboration with then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister [Asaduzzaman Khan], and [former roads and bridges minister] Obaidul Quader."
He added, "You aided and incited the indiscriminate shooting of Abu Sayed. The incident occurred around 2:17pm in front of Gate No-1 of the university, on the west side of the road divider on the Dhaka–Rangpur Highway, where Abu Sayed stood with his arms outstretched and chest exposed before the police."
Similar charges were brought against former VC Prof Hasibur Rashid.
The tribunal said ASI Amir Hossain "killed Abu Sayed without provocation," while Constable Sujan Chandra Roy was accused of carrying out orders from the then government and taking part in the killing.
Meanwhile, Rafiul Hasan Rasel, Imran Chowdhury Akash, and Anwar Parvez face charges of instigating and abetting the killing.
When asked if they pleaded guilty, all six denied the charges and claimed innocence.
Before reading out the charges, Justice Nozrul said, "We did not find grounds to discharge the accused. There is sufficient material to frame charges, and we have done so accordingly. The charges will be read out to those present in court."
Earlier, on June 30, the tribunal took cognisance of charges pressed by the prosecution, including murder, attempted murder, abetment, complicity, and command responsibility under crimes against humanity.
While formally pressing charges, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said the former VC, proctor, Rangpur Metropolitan Police commissioner and his deputy bear command responsibility and coordinated the attack that killed Sayed and injured four others.
He said they jointly instructed subordinates, including ASI Amir and Constable Sujan, to carry out the shooting and later altered forensic evidence to conceal the crime.
Tajul added that the remaining accused either actively participated in or assisted with the killing, torture, and cover-up, including manipulating Sayed's inquest and post-mortem reports.
Abu Sayed was shot dead on July 16 last year in Rangpur during a student protest against the quota system in government jobs. His act of defiance before being killed helped ignite a mass uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's regime on August 5.
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