Three more witnesses testified against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two of her aides-- former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun-- in the crimes against humanity case on Monday.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT)-1, headed by its Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, recorded their depositions as prosecution witnesses.

The tribunal adjourned the proceedings of the case until tomorrow. Some other witnesses will testify in the case on that day.

With this, a total of 12 witnesses have so far made their depositions in the case. They testified against Hasina in the case filed for crimes against humanity committed during the 2024 mass uprising.

One of the accused in the case-- Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun-- was present in the dock, while Hasina and Kamal are still absconding. The two accused are being tried in absentia. Mamun, however, had previously pleaded guilty and became a ‘state witness’ in the case.

The three witnesses who testified in the ICT on Monday are Robiul Islam, brother of mass uprising martyr Imam Hasan Taim; Jasim Uddin, an eyewitness to the 2024 atrocities; and ‘July fighter’ Enam Uddin.

After testimonies of the fifth day, Advocate Amir Hossain, state-appointed defence counsel for Hasina and Kamal, cross-examined the three witnesses. 

In the first testimony in any of the cases filed in connection with the deadly crackdown during the 2024 mass uprising, a survivor of the barbaric Jatrabari police shooting testified on 3 August. The survivor named Khokon Chandro Barman, 23, a driver by profession who lost most of his face in the police firing on 5 August 2024, narrated his ordeal and showed his disfigured face to the tribunal.

On 17 August, vegetable seller Abdus Samad, Mizan Mia, student Naim Sikder, and Shahina Begum, mother of martyr Sajjad Hossain Sajal, testified in the ICT.

On 6 August, Rina Murmu and AKM Moinul Haque testified in the ICT. On 4 August, victim student Abdullah Al Imran and day-labourer Parveen, who lost her sight, testified in the case.

On 1 June, the ICT-1 took cognisance of the formal charges submitted against the trio. On 10 July, the tribunal formally framed charges against Hasina and two others, ordering the start of the trial in the case.

A total of 81 people are listed as witnesses, including two advisers to the interim government and an editor of a national daily.

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