Bangladesh police fired more than 3,00,000 rounds of bullets nationwide during the July uprising, with nearly one-third of the shots discharged in Dhaka, a tribunal has been told.
On Monday, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 heard testimony from its 54th witness, Investigation Officer Md. Alamgir, in the case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others, accused of crimes against humanity.
Presenting data from a 215-page report submitted by police headquarters, Alamgir said 305,311 rounds were fired across the country, of which 95,313 rounds were discharged in the capital alone.
Prosecutors Mizanul Islam, Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim, Tanvir Hasan Zoha and Abdus Sattar Palowan attended the hearing, while court-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain appeared for the defendants.
Prosecutor Mizanul Islam told the tribunal that the sheer volume of ammunition used illustrated the scale of force employed by the then-government to suppress the protests.
The tribunal is currently hearing the final testimony in the case, with prosecutors stating earlier that Alamgir would be the last of 54 witnesses. His deposition includes both investigative findings and audiovisual evidence, some of which has been broadcast live.
Last week, Special Investigation Officer and Prosecutor Tanvir Hasan Zoha testified as the 53rd witness, presenting 69 seized audio clips of Sheikh Hasina’s phone conversations and call records from three mobile numbers. Four of those conversations—one with former Dhaka South mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, two with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD) leader Hasanul Haq Inu, and one with former Dhaka University vice-chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal—were played in court and aired live.
Alongside Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun also stand accused in the case.
The tribunal previously approved Mamun’s request to testify as an approver. The investigation was initially led by Deputy Director Md. Jane Alam Khan before being handed over to Deputy Director Md. Alamgir, assisted by Zoha. The main report was filed on May 12, with a supplementary charge sheet on May 31, followed by formal charges on June 1.
On July 10, the tribunal formally framed charges against the three accused, marking a critical step in the proceedings.
SMS/
