Staff Correspondent

The hearing on framing formal charges against 11 accused, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in the crimes against humanity case over the killing of Teknaf councillor Ekramul Haque will be held today.

The hearing is scheduled for Thursday (September 24) before a bench of International Crimes Tribunal-2 headed by its chairman, Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.

Four of the accused are currently in custody. They are former MP Abdur Rahman Badi, Brigadier General Miftah Uddin Ahmed, Brigadier General Mahbub Alam and former RAB Director General Colonel (retired) Anwar Latif Khan.

The seven absconding accused are Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former road transport and bridges minister and Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, Major (retired) Ruhul Amin, Lieutenant Commander Ashek ur Rahman and former DGFI officer Squadron Leader Najmus Sakib Mahmud.

The prosecution said the tribunal ordered the appointment of state-funded defence lawyers for the seven absconding accused on September 7. The same day, the tribunal fixed September 24 for the next hearing.

Meanwhile, the hearings on the bail petitions of three detained accused—Miftah Uddin Ahmed, Mahbub Alam and Anwar Latif Khan—have already concluded. The tribunal is also expected to pass orders on their bail petitions today.

According to the prosecution, Ekramul Haque was picked up from a road in front of Hotel Netong at Kirantoli in Teknaf on the night of May 26, 2018. Between 11pm and midnight, he was allegedly killed in a gunfight with members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) near the sea at Noakhaliapara along the Teknaf Marine Drive.

Ekramul Haque was a councillor of Ward No. 3 of Teknaf Municipality and president of the upazila unit of the Jubo League.

The prosecution has brought allegations against the accused including unlawful detention, abduction, killing by allegedly staging a gunfight, involvement in the offence, instigation, assistance and ordering the killing.

On July 26, ICT-2 took cognisance of the formal charges submitted by the prosecution against Sheikh Hasina and the other 10 accused in the case.