Online Desk  :   The prosecution has filed formal charges at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two others in a case filed over crimes against humanity committed during the mass uprising in July-August of last year. The other two accused are former home affairs minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. The prosecution submitted the charge sheet today (June 1), marking a significant development in the case.

A hearing on the charges is underway, where the specific allegations, including those related to killings during the July–August period, are being presented before the tribunal. Sheikh Hasina has been accused of ordering these killings in the formal charges. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam filed the charges at the tribunal shortly after 12 pm. The hearing was broadcast live on Bangladesh Television. Earlier, on 12 May, the tribunal’s investigation agency submitted its report to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office. The report named Sheikh Hasina as the instigator of the killings that took place during the July–August period.

Earlier, the chief prosecutor had stated: “We are determined to move the trial process forward. By December, visible progress will be made in the prosecution of the July-August mass killings. This period will see significant developments. The trial will be conducted in a way that leaves no room for questions about its integrity.”