The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has issued arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and three others in connection with the 2016 killings of nine youths in the Kalyanpur area of the capital.

The tribunal passed the order on Thursday (January 29) following a formal petition filed by the prosecution. A hearing for the framing of charges in the case has been scheduled for February 8.

Allegations

The case centers on an incident on July 25, 2016, at a building known as ‘Jahajbari’ in Kalyanpur. According to the prosecution, the nine youths were not killed in a legitimate counter-terrorism operation, as was officially reported at the time. Instead, the prosecution alleges:

Premeditated Execution: The victims had been previously detained from various parts of the country. Some had reportedly been in the custody of the Detective Branch (DB) for two to three months prior to their deaths.

Staged Operation: Under the guise of a "block raid," the youths were brought to Jahajbari, where SWAT and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) units allegedly opened fire and killed them.

Culture of Fear: The prosecution claims senior police officials orchestrated this "militant drama" to create an atmosphere of terror, aimed at suppressing dissent and securing Sheikh Hasina's grip on power.

High-Profile Defandants

Beyond the former Prime Minister and Home Minister, the case names several high-ranking former security officials, including:

• Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shahidul Haque

• Former DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia

• Former SB Chief Monirul Islam

•

The prosecution argued that labeling individuals with Islamic leanings as "militants" and subsequently executing them had become a "routine matter" for the previous administration to maintain political control.