The Army has detained 15 of its officers following arrest warrants in Bangladesh issued by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) over alleged crimes against humanity, including enforced disappearances and torture of opposition figures during the Awami League regime.
Addressing a press conference at the Dhaka Cantonment, Army spokesperson Major General Md. Hakimuzzaman confirmed that among those detained, 14 are serving officers and one is on Leave Pending Retirement (LPR). Another officer, identified as Major General Kabir, has not responded to repeated Army notices and remains untraceable.
The ICT, in two separate cases filed last week, issued warrants against 30 individuals accused of participating in a widespread campaign of abductions, torture, and extra-judicial acts targeting political opponents during Sheikh Hasina’s rule. Among the accused, 25 are current or former officers of the Bangladesh Army, underscoring the depth of military involvement in the alleged state-sanctioned repression.
Of the 30 individuals charged, 17 face allegations linked to torture and disappearances at the notorious Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell an agency reportedly working under the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) while 13 others have been charged for their roles in the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC). Both entities have long been accused of operating as instruments of political control and intimidation, particularly during periods of heightened opposition unrest.
Major General Hakimuzzaman stated that the Army supports the principle of a fair and transparent trial process. “The Bangladesh Army also wants a proper trial of crimes against humanity, including disappearances and murders. We are committed to justice, fairness, and accountability,” he asserted.
However, the Army clarified that it has not yet received the official ICT charge sheet and that the detentions were conducted based on information circulating through media and social media platforms. “Once we officially receive the charge sheet, we will review the details and seek guidance from the authorities concerned to determine the next course of action,” the spokesperson added.
The ICT’s latest move marks one of the most significant actions taken against uniformed personnel in Bangladesh’s recent history, signaling a possible shift toward confronting alleged human rights violations committed under the Awami League’s security apparatus.
Over the past decade, international human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have documented extensive cases of enforced disappearances, custodial torture, and politically motivated detentions attributed to elite security forces like RAB and units linked to the Army’s intelligence wing. Many of these incidents were reportedly directed at leaders and activists of opposition parties, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The ICT’s warrants are seen as a legal and political watershed moment that could reshape Bangladesh’s civil-military dynamics. For years, the tribunal has primarily dealt with war crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War. Its new jurisdictional thrust into contemporary human rights abuses indicates an expanded mandate—one that now extends to state actors accused of post-independence crimes.
Comments