Orders issued to produce Dipu Moni, Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa in Shapla Chattar case

PNN News Desk. Dhaka
The International Crimes Tribunal has ordered the production of former minister Dipu Moni, former Managing Director of Ekattor Media Limited Mozammel Haque Babu, and former chief reporter of Ekattor Television Farzana Rupa in connection with a case of crimes against humanity related to the killings during the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel.

The order was issued on Thursday at the International Crimes Tribunal-1. A three-member bench led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder ordered them to be produced before the court on May 14. Other members of the tribunal are Justice Md. Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Justice Md. Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

Court sources said all three are currently in prison in different cases. Following a petition from the prosecution, the tribunal issued production warrants.

After the briefing, Chief Prosecutor Md. Aminul Islam said that since the accused are already in custody, they were requested to be produced in court. He also said that they may be formally shown arrested in this case during the next hearing, after which they may be taken to a safe place for interrogation as part of the investigation.

The tribunal has set June 7 as the date for submission of the investigation report.

Others accused in the case include ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Benazir Ahmed, former military official Ziaul Ahsan, and Gono Jagoron Mancha spokesperson Imran H. Sarker, among others.

The Chief Prosecutor said that at least 58 people were killed in incidents related to the Hefazat rally at Shapla Chattar in May 2013, with deaths reported in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Comilla, and Chattogram. He said the identities of the victims have been confirmed.

The case has generated significant political and legal discussion, and more information may emerge in the charge sheet after investigation.