ICT orders to send 4 accused to jail custody

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) today ordered the authorities concerned to send four accused including former state minister for home affairs Samsul Haque Tuku to jail custody in a case related to crimes against humanity over the "mass killings" at Motijheel's Shapla Chattar during a protest by Hefajat-e Islam on May 5, 2013.

The other accused in the case are former inspector general of police AKM Shahidul Hoque, forcibly retired major general Ziaul Ahsan, and former deputy inspector general of police Molla Nazrul Islam.

The two-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, also set August 12 for the investigation agency for either submitting the probe report or inform the progress of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the tribunal also extended the time to submit probe report by two months in a case filed against nine persons including former Dhaka North mayor Atiqul Islam over alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising. It asked the investigation agency to submit the probe report before July 20.

In this case, Atiqul Islam and eight others including Awami League leaders were produced before the ICT today.

The tribunal also ordered the jail authorities concerned to send a report on May 30 regarding former minister and AL leader Lt Col (retd) Mohammad Faruk Khan's health condition and whether the jail hospital has the facility to ensure his proper treatment.

The court issued the directive after Faruk Khan's counsel Mustafizur Rahman Khan submitted a petition seeking a court order for his client's treatment in the Combined Military Hospital.

Mustafizur informed the tribunal that Faruk Khan, now 73, had suffered stroke and has multiple health complications including Parkinson's disease. Since the jail hospital does not have facilities to treat his condition, he needs treatment at the CMH as he is a former army officer.