Ex-DMP chief Habibur, two others get death sentence

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Sunday sentenced three former police officials, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, to death in a crimes against humanity case over the Rampura shootings during the July uprising.

The tribunal also sentenced another former police official to life imprisonment and a fifth to 20 years’ imprisonment.

The three-member ICT-1 bench, headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, delivered the judgment. The other members are Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

The other two sentenced to death are former DMP assistant deputy commissioner Rashedul Islam and former officer-in-charge (OC) of Rampura police station Mashiur Rahman. 

Former sub-inspector (SI) Tarikul Islam Bhuiyan was sentenced to life imprisonment, while ex-assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Chanchal Chandra Sarkar received a 20-year prison sentence.

Of the five convicts, only Chanchal is in custody and was present when the verdict was delivered. The remaining four remain fugitives.

Reacting to the judgment, ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said the families of those killed and injured in the crimes against humanity committed in Rampura had received justice.

“This is an appropriate verdict. We are satisfied with the judgment,” he said.

According to the prosecution, six-year-old Musa was critically injured after being shot by police on 19 July 2024. The bullet passed through the child and struck his grandmother, Maya Islam. Musa survived after receiving treatment, but Maya later died from her injuries. Another victim, Md Nadim, was also shot dead in the same incident.

In a separate incident on the same day, a video that went viral on social media allegedly showed two police officers firing at Amir Hossain while he was hanging from the cornice of an under-construction building.

A total of 14 witnesses, including the investigating officer and convicted ASI Chanchal Chandra Sarkar, testified during the trial.