Hanif sentenced to death over six Kushtia killings, three Awami League leaders get life imprisonment until death
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has sentenced Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of the banned Awami League, to death in a case over crimes against humanity linked to the killing of six people in Kushtia during the July mass uprising.
A three-member panel led by Tribunal-2 chairman Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury announced the verdict at around noon on Thursday, October 29. The other panel members were Judge Md Manjurul Basid and Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.
In the same verdict, three other leaders of the party were sentenced to imprisonment until natural death. They are Kushtia district Awami League president Sadar Uddin Khan, district general secretary Asgar Ali, and Kushtia city Awami League general secretary Ataur Rahman Ata.
The verdict also ordered the confiscation of half of the convicted defendants’ property.
According to the case records, six people were killed and several others injured in Kushtia during the July-August mass uprising. A case was filed against Hanif and the three others at the International Crimes Tribunal over those incidents. All of the convicted defendants have been fugitives since the start of the case.
The prosecution brought three charges against the defendants. One was that they were present at a meeting where Awami League leader Obaidul Quader commented that the Chhatra League alone was enough to suppress the movement, and supported that position.
The second charge said that at a meeting held in Kushtia on July 29, an order was given to kill students and members of the public and a conspiracy was joined for that purpose. The third charge concerned the killing of six people in Kushtia.
According to the case records, in a speech in front of the Kushtia district Awami League office on July 27, 2024, local Awami League leader Asgar Ali said their leader Hanif had instructed that the movement be suppressed “by any means”. The prosecution emphasised that speech during its arguments.
The prosecution claimed the killings in Kushtia took place as a direct result of the defendants’ speeches, instructions and organisational roles. The defendants were accused of lethal attacks on protesters, provocative speeches, armed conspiracy and directly killing six people.
A total of 19 people, including the investigating officer, testified in the case. As the four defendants were fugitives, lawyers were appointed for them at state expense.
On October 5, prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim presented arguments for the prosecution. On October 7, state-appointed defence lawyer Amir Hossain presented arguments for the defendants. After hearing both sides, the tribunal kept the case waiting for verdict that same day.
Earlier, on June 10, the case had once been kept waiting for verdict after arguments ended. However, after the prosecution submitted additional evidence, arguments were presented again. Tribunal-2 then set this date for the verdict last Tuesday.
After the trial process, the charges were proved, and the court gave Hanif the maximum sentence of death and the other three defendants imprisonment until natural death, according to the verdict information.
