The International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) has sentenced six individuals, including former Dhaka-19 Member of Parliament Muhammad Saiful Islam, to death for their roles in the killing and subsequent burning of bodies in Ashulia during the July-August mass uprising.
The three-member judicial panel, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, delivered the landmark verdict on Thursday afternoon. The court also sentenced seven people to life imprisonment and two others to seven years in jail. One individual was acquitted after turning into an approver.
The Convicts and Sentences
The tribunal found the accused guilty of crimes against humanity, specifically focusing on the horrific events of August 5, 2024, when protesters were shot and their bodies set ablaze in a police van.
Death Penalty:
- Muhammad Saiful Islam (Former MP, Dhaka-19)
- AFM Sayed Roni (Former OC, Ashulia Police Station)
- Abdul Malek (Former SI)
- Bishwajit Saha (Former ASI)
- Mukul Chokder (Former Constable)
- Roni Bhuiyan (Jubo League activist)
Life Imprisonment:
- Syed Nurul Islam (Former DIG, Dhaka Range)
- Md Asaduzzaman Ripon (Former SP, Dhaka District)
- Md Abdullahil Kafi (Former Additional SP, Crimes and Ops)
- Md Shahidul Islam (Former Additional SP, Savar Circle)
- Mohammad Masudur Rahman (Former Inspector)
- Nirmal Kumar Das (Former Inspector)
- Md Arafat Hossain Arzu (Former DB Inspector)
Seven-Year Imprisonment:
- Arafat Uddin (Former SI)
- Kamrul Hasan (Former ASI)
Pardoned:
- Sheikh Abzalul Haque (Former SI), who pleaded guilty and testified as an approver.
Background of the Atrocity
The case stems from the brutal events of August 5, 2024, in Ashulia. According to the prosecution, six youths were shot dead by law enforcement and local ruling party cadres. To conceal the evidence, the bodies were piled into a police van and set on fire using petrol. Evidence presented in court suggested that at least one of the victims was still alive when the van was torched.
A formal complaint was filed with the ICT on September 11, 2024. The trial saw the testimony of 24 witnesses, including Investigation Officer Jane Alam Khan.
Court Observations
The tribunal observed that the atrocities were part of a “joint criminal enterprise” aimed at suppressing the student-led mass uprising. In addition to the sentences, the court ordered the confiscation of former MP Muhammad Saiful Islam’s properties to be distributed as compensation among the victims’ families.
Eight of the convicts, including the former MP and the former DIG, remain at large and were tried in absentia. The court has directed the authorities to take immediate steps for their arrest.
