TBM Report
In a landmark verdict that reflects the nationwide demand for justice, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 has sentenced two former police officers to death for the murder of Abu Sayeed, an iconic student of Begum Rokeya University. The tribunal, presided over by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, delivered the judgment on Thursday, marking a pivotal step in establishing accountability for the state-sponsored violence during the July mass uprising.
The condemned individuals, former ASI Amir Hossain and Constable Sujan Chandra Roy, were found guilty of intentional homicide and crimes against humanity. The court emphasized that the deliberate shooting of an unarmed student, which was captured on camera and witnessed globally, required the most severe judicial response. Alongside the death sentences, the tribunal handed life imprisonment to three other police officials—former Assistant Commissioner Md. Arifuzzaman, Inspector Robiul Islam, and SI Bibhuti Bhushan Roy—all of whom currently remain fugitives.
In a rare move to hold academic leadership accountable, the tribunal sentenced the university’s former Vice-Chancellor, Md. Hasibur Rashid, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court found him complicit in allowing and facilitating the brutal crackdown on his own students. Similarly, former Proctor Shariful Islam was sentenced to five years, while two associate professors from the Mathematics and Public Administration departments were handed 10-year terms for their roles in the conspiracy. The judgment sends a stark warning that institutional immunity will no longer shield those who facilitate human rights violations.
Furthermore, the court sentenced the former Commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police, Md. Moniruzzaman, to 10 years, and several other high-ranking security officials to five-year terms. Seven leaders of the Chhatra League student wing were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to ten years. Out of the 30 defendants, many are currently avoiding justice, prompting the tribunal to direct law enforcement agencies to execute the sentences immediately. The legacy of Abu Sayeed, whose courageous stand became a symbol of resistance, has now been cemented in the legal history of Bangladesh.
