Bangladesh tribunal to charge 150 military officers over student killings

NEW DELHI: In mounting trouble for Bangladesh Army officers, more than 150 serving as well as retired officers have come under the lens of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) over excesses on students and dissenting voices, their enforced disappearances and killings and therefore may face "penal action" soon.

A new charge sheet is set to be brought against these serving and retired officers of the Bangladesh Army, and warrants may be issued against them from Tuesday to Thursday, those privy to the information said.

According to sources in the ICT, charges will also be framed against all the Army chiefs, who had served from 2009 to 2025.

During last year's July-August movement against the previous Sheikh Hasina regime, hundreds of students and civilians were killed by security forces, while bullets were also fired from helicopters using sniper rifles. It is for this reason that the chief of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and a few top officials are also likely to be named in the charge sheet.

Another source said, this time the target has assumed a broader spectrum wherein the accused are the Bangladesh Army top brass, BAF Chief and some Bangladesh Navy officers, who had discharged important responsibilities and sensitive duties during Sheikh Hasina's tenure (such as DGFI, NSI, RAB, SSF, PGR, Prime Minister's and President's offices, Military Attaches of embassies, etc), under various pretexts and dismiss or send them on compulsory retirement. This also includes the Awami League family, freedom fighter families and officers representing the religious and ethnic minority groups. (IANS)

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