DGFI subjected Tarique Rahman to inhuman torture: Ex-Army Chief Iqbal

Former army chief General (retd) Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan today (February 8) began testifying before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 as the first prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case against former director general of National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC) Major General (relieved) Ziaul Ahsan.

In the court, Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan has said that the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) effectively acted as the state’s chief controller between 2007 and 2009, during which civilians, ministers and political leaders were picked up and tortured.

He stated that BNP senior leader Tarique Rahman was also taken by DGFI and subjected to inhuman torture on the instructions of several ministers and members of parliament.

In his deposition before the tribunal bench led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Bhuiyan said the practice of detaining civilians in DGFI cells gradually became routine, which, he noted, broke psychological restraints against arbitrary detention and led those involved to lose control over their conduct.

Referring to the army-led Operation Clean Heart, Bhuiyan said that although the official account claimed 12 people died of heart attacks during interrogations in 2003, Human Rights Watch estimated the death toll at around 60.

He added that those involved in the operation were later granted indemnity, which he described as tantamount to a “licence to kill.”

Prosecutor Gazi M H Tamim presented the opening statement. Lawyers Naznin Nahar and Mansurul Haque Chowdhury appeared for the defence.

The tribunal had earlier, on January 14, ordered the commencement of trial by framing three charges against Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan.