Complaints lodged with ICT against three ex top army officers

 

Retired Chief of Staff of Bangladesh Army General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed and two other former high-ranking army officers have been accused of involvement in enforced disappearances, according to an allegation lodged with the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). 

The other two officers are Lieutenant General (Retd) Akbar Hossain and Major General (Retd) Sarwar Hossain. The complaint was filed by Barrister Sarwar Hossain, a Supreme Court lawyer and former army officer yesterday, (Monday 30 September 2024) to the International Crimes Tribunal's investigation agency in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

In the complaint, advocate M Sarwar Hossain described that he was subjected to an attempt was made on him to make him a victim of enforced disappearances in 2016, reports Bengali daily newspaper Prothom Alo.

Lawyer Sarwar Hossain told journalists, "I have conveyed necessary facts and figures regarding the enforced disappearance to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances. Now I have formally filed a complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal."

According to the complaint, the three retired army officers are sued for sustaining an authoritarian regime and are responsible for abductions, extrajudicial killings and running secret prisons including the infamous "Ayna Ghor" detention cells. Sarwar Hossain complained that on 27 October 2016 he was summoned to the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) headquarters under the pretext of having tea.

Once Sarwar Hossain reached the DGFI headquarters, he was threatened with being taken to a secret confinement gulag for speaking out against the then Awami League government. Sarwar Hossain was allegedly held inside the intelligence division's office for 11 hours before being allowed to leave.

Sarwar Hossain, who worked for Bangladesh Army for 20 years, left his military job willingly in 2007 and took up advocacy.

Since 2008, Sarwar Hossain has been vocal about issues like good governance, justice, democracy and human rights, frequently addressing both national and international events organized by media platforms.

In the complaint, Sarwar Hossain said, "The accused individuals cannot tolerate criticism. Since I used to speak in favour of democracy, sound governance and human rights and denigrated fascist rulers, the immediate past government was furious with me."

In his complaint, Sarwar Hossain also cited that General (Retd) Shafiuddin Ahmed is sued for forcibly holding down dissent, brazenly flouting human rights and assisting in the rigging and all other forms of electoral misconduct of the January 2024 elections, which Sarwar Hossain claims devastated democracy, knocked down socio-economic justice, polluted political integrity and obliterated equal rights throughout Bangladesh.

Lieutenant General (Retd) Akbar Hossain is charged with having detained a broad number of people in secret prisons, while holding key posts in DGFI from 2010 to 2018.

Akbar Hossain is also accused of involvement in extrajudicial killings and supporting the rigged elections of 2014 and 2018.

The complaint against Major General (Retd) Md Sarwar Hossain states that during his time as DGFI Director in 2015 and 2016, he was involved in enforced disappearances, contract killings and various types of human rights violations.

Sarwar Hossain also accuses him of being a key figure in fortifying the immediate past repressive regime that despoiled and defiled Bangladesh from 2009 to 2024.

In addition to filing the complaint, Sarwar Hossain has requested the International Crimes Tribunal to impose a travel ban on the accused officers until the investigation is completed.