Dhaka, Aug 25 (V7N) – On the seventh day of hearings at the International Crimes Tribunal‑1, three additional witnesses testified in the high‑profile case concerning the killing of Abu Saeed during the July student protests in 2024. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder, has now completed testimonies from 19 witnesses, with subpoenaed individuals including forensic officials, a journalist, and a hospital staff member.
 
Dr. Md. Rajibul Islam’s Testimony:
 
Dr. Rajibul Islam, Associate Professor and Head of the Forensic Medicine Department at Rangpur Medical College, revealed that he conducted the post-mortem examination of Abu Saeed. His findings confirmed that the victim died from internal bleeding induced by multiple pellet wounds.
 
Dr. Rajibul testified that superiors pressured him to amend his report multiple times. When he resisted, he was summoned on July 30 to the Vice Principal’s office, where law enforcement and intelligence officials—including the SP, Deputy Commissioner of Police, and a senior doctor—insisted he record a head injury instead of gunshot wounds. They allegedly threatened legal consequences and tempted him with offers of foreign travel, which he refused. Instead, Dr. Rajibul submitted a revised report, maintaining that pellet injuries, not head trauma, were the cause of death.
 
Giasuddin’s Account:
 
An office assistant named Giasuddin also testified, confirming he witnessed the undue pressure applied to Dr. Rajibul to change his findings. His presence corroborates the forensic expert's claims of institutional intimidation.
 
Journalist Shariful Islam’s Statement:
 
Shariful Islam, a journalist from Kushtia, shared his experience of being shot during the protests on August 5. He said his hands were struck by pellets fired at protesters by a sub-inspector and others wielding shotguns. He survived three surgeries, with over 62 pellets removed and more than 500 remaining embedded in his body. Shariful reported that he attempted to alert police leadership to the situation, only to come under fire himself.
 
Legal Response and Context:
 
Following the completion of testimony, defense counsel Amir Hossain began cross-examining the witnesses. Further testimonies are expected to continue on Monday.
 
In a related development, the tribunal also granted permission to interrogate four high-profile suspects—former State Minister Shamsul Haq Tuku, ex-army officer Ziaul Ahsan, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, and ex-DIG Nazrul Islam—who were arrested in connection with crimes against humanity during the 2013 Sharapla Chattar atrocities.
 
These testimonies add critical weight to the prosecution’s case by detailing alleged institutional attempts to suppress truth and ensure wrongdoing is systematically challenged through international legal mechanisms.
 
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