Bangladesh’s Awami League Party has alleged that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdullah Al Mamun has been forced to become a state witness in a “false and farcical case” filed against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
The party has expressed deep concern as the former Inspector General of Police has become a state approver in the July-August massacre case.
The Awami League Party claimed that “inhuman torture and coercion” has been used to force Abdullah Al Mamun to become a state witness.
Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on Thursday (July 10) formally indicted in crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising in the country last year. A three-member panel, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, also indicted former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun on five charges.
Admitting his involvement in the crimes against humanity, Mamun told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on July 10 that he would reveal all the secrets related to the massacre. He said he had participated in the killings and now wished to testify voluntarily.
Standing before the tribunal, the former IGP admitted five allegations against him and expressed his desire to be a state approver in the case. Subsequently, the tribunal gave him the permission to be the state witness.
“This is part of a malicious attempt to wrongfully convict the daughter of Bangabandhu, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and others based on false and baseless allegations. The Awami League strongly condemns and expresses its utter disgust at this heinous and despicable incident,” read a statement issued by the party on Thursday.
According to the party, the “illegal ICT Tribunal is attempting to falsely implicate” Hasina and former Home Minister by making the former IGP Al Mamun a state witness.
“It is clear that when the prosecution failed to present any factual evidence after a long period of investigation, they resorted to coercing Abdullah Al Mamun as a state witness. This proves that the prosecution has no concrete evidence and is instead depending on forced testimony. In politically motivated cases, such tactics are often used to turn co-accused into state witnesses to target political opponents for conviction. Such acts are typically used when there is a lack of credible evidence to prove the charges,” the statement added.
The Awami League firmly maintains that Sheikh Hasina has committed no crime, and the prosecution’s inability to present any evidence against her is why they are now “resorting to pressure and coercion.”
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“The Awami League believes that this entire farcical trial is an act of vengeance by the illegal, occupying, murderous, fascist regime of Yunus. It is being conducted in retaliation for the successful prosecution of 1971 war criminals during Sheikh Hasina’s government. Now, this illegal interim regime is staging a fabricated trial to take political revenge against the daughter of Bangabandhu,” the party stated.
