Saturday, 12 July, 2025
Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Muhammad Tajul Islam, revealed on Sunday that during a visit to a hospital in late July 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered authorities to deny medical treatment to victims of the mass uprising and prevent their release.
"We (the prosecution) visited the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (Nitor), also known as Pongu Hospital, to speak with victims of the July-August mass uprising and their families. Those receiving treatment at the hospital confirmed that during Hasina's visit on July 27, she instructed doctors and hospital officials to provide 'no treatment' and 'no release,'" Tajul Islam said during a press briefing at his office.
The ICT chief prosecutor further stated that Hasina's directive was aimed at preventing any victims from returning to the streets to participate in anti-government protests. "We have already collected evidence supporting this claim. In addition to the patients, doctors have also confirmed this information. We have presented this to the tribunal today," he added.
When asked by a reporter, Tajul Islam explained that hospital authorities were prohibited from performing autopsies on the bodies of martyrs from the July-August uprising and were not allowed to issue death certificates, following orders from the administration.
"Even after the shootings, the families of the victims were issued death certificates falsely stating the cause of death as fever or another disease. Police attacked those attempting to bury their loved ones or attend the funeral," the ICT chief prosecutor said.
Tajul further noted that the tribunal had inquired about the absence of postmortem reports, which are critical pieces of evidence. "We explained that the authorities forced the families of the martyrs to hurriedly bury their loved ones without autopsies. This is clear evidence of crimes against humanity," he emphasized.
The ICT chief prosecutor assured that the prosecution would thoroughly review all available evidence regarding Hasina's actions, processing them through forensic tests before presenting them to the tribunal.
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Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Muhammad Tajul Islam, revealed on Sunday that during a visit to a hospital in late July 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered authorities to deny medical treatment to victims of the mass uprising and prevent their release.
"We (the prosecution) visited the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (Nitor), also known as Pongu Hospital, to speak with victims of the July-August mass uprising and their families. Those receiving treatment at the hospital confirmed that during Hasina's visit on July 27, she instructed doctors and hospital officials to provide 'no treatment' and 'no release,'" Tajul Islam said during a press briefing at his office.
The ICT chief prosecutor further stated that Hasina's directive was aimed at preventing any victims from returning to the streets to participate in anti-government protests. "We have already collected evidence supporting this claim. In addition to the patients, doctors have also confirmed this information. We have presented this to the tribunal today," he added.
When asked by a reporter, Tajul Islam explained that hospital authorities were prohibited from performing autopsies on the bodies of martyrs from the July-August uprising and were not allowed to issue death certificates, following orders from the administration.
"Even after the shootings, the families of the victims were issued death certificates falsely stating the cause of death as fever or another disease. Police attacked those attempting to bury their loved ones or attend the funeral," the ICT chief prosecutor said.
Tajul further noted that the tribunal had inquired about the absence of postmortem reports, which are critical pieces of evidence. "We explained that the authorities forced the families of the martyrs to hurriedly bury their loved ones without autopsies. This is clear evidence of crimes against humanity," he emphasized.
The ICT chief prosecutor assured that the prosecution would thoroughly review all available evidence regarding Hasina's actions, processing them through forensic tests before presenting them to the tribunal.
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