Dipu Moni, Farzana Rupa, Mozammel Babu shown arrested in Shapla Chattar case

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has ordered that former minister Dr Dipu Moni, and journalists Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa be shown arrested in a case filed over the 2013 Shapla Chattar massacre during a rally of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.

ICT-1, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the order, sending the accused to jail in connection with the case following a prosecution plea on Thursday (May 14). It also directed that they be produced before the court on June 7, the scheduled date for submission of the investigation report.

Earlier in the morning, the trio were produced before the tribunal from jail after production warrants were issued on May 7.

According to prosecution statements, the case relates to the events surrounding the Hefazat-e-Islam mass gathering at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel on May 5, 2013.

Prosecutors alleged that during the incident, law enforcement operations led to multiple deaths, and that the accused were linked in different capacities to the events.

The tribunal has already placed six other accused in custody in connection with the same case. They include former State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku, retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan, former Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Haque, former DIG Molla Nazrul Islam, Shahriar Kabir, and former DIG Abdul Jalil Mandal.

Prosecution claims that a total of 58 people were killed in incidents related to the May 5, 2013 Shapla Chattar operation across Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chattogram, and Cumilla.

The tribunal is expected to receive the investigation report on June 7, when the case will move to the next stage of proceedings.