Staff Reporter:
The BNP has filed two complaints with the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) over the extrajudicial killings of 2,276 party men in crossfire and the disappearance of 153 others during the 15-year Awami League regime.
Salahuddin Khan, a Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal leader and coordinator of the BNP’s case and information cell, filed the complaints on behalf of party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday. Advocate Nurul Islam, another member of the cell, was present at that time.
Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was made the main accused and some members of law enforcement agencies were also named in the complaints.
For the sake of investigation, the BNP withheld the names of the accused from journalists, but the prosecution received the full list.
The 20-page complaint over crossfire states that on the orders of the AL government head, party’s terrorists and some overzealous members of law enforcement agencies carried out the most heinous murders in the name of crossfire to destroy and eliminate the BNP and alienate the party from the people.
A total of 2,276 people were killed in the name of crossfire. The main objective of the Awami League and the law enforcement agencies was to destroy the BNP by killing the leaders and activists of the party. The crimes were committed also to instill fear into the BNP supporters.
The BNP also submitted a list of the victims alongside the complaint.
The second complaint focuses on the enforced disappearances of 153 party members, who were abducted and killed from 2008 to 5 August 2024 by the head of the illegal AL government, AL terrorists and some overzealous law enforcement officers.
According to BNP information, a total of 153 people have been abducted or killed after abduction. “It is requested to take action to investigate and file a case regarding this abduction,” says the complaint.
“We strongly demand, on behalf of the BNP, an investigation and bringing those involved in the crimes to justice through the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal,” says the BNP in the complaint.
After filing the complaint, Salahuddin Khan told reporters that all the victims of crossfire and enforced disappearances are leaders and activists of the BNP.
He cited the names of some of them, including party’s Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, Organising Secretary Ilias Ali and leader Chowdhury Alam.
