‘Crimes against humanity’: A list of cops being prepared

The investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is preparing a list of members of the police and other forces who were involved in killings, genocide, arrests, torture, and crimes against humanity to suppress the mass uprising.  
The agency has also started collecting names for a list of the Awami League’s armed goons involved in the crimes against humanity during the July-August movement led by students.
It has sent multiple letters to different forces, seeking details of their members who were on duty and had involvement in operations during the movement.
Confirming the development, Md Mazharul Hoque, the coordinator of the agency, told The Daily Star that they had sent several letters to the forces, including Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), asking for their security plans during the protests.
Sources said that the agency will investigate the role of security personnel in suppressing the movement upon receiving the details, and then take legal action against the officials per the level of their crimes.
The Daily Star has obtained copies of two letters signed by Mazharul and dated October 3 and October 6, addressing the DMP commissioner.
According to the first letter, the agency asked for details of the officers-in-charge and inspectors (investigation) of all police stations under DMP. The agency also asked for the lists of all the sub-inspectors and inspectors working at DMP’s Detective Branch.
In the second point, the agency asked DMP to provide attested copies of the command certificates (CCs) for July 18-19, and August 3-5, of all its divisions and units.
In CCs, the police record information, including the force members’ names, their designations, duty times, purposes of duty, and the details of the duty area. These certificates also explain how many firearms, bullets, and other equipment have been taken by the force members during duty hours.
With the CCs, the ICT investigation agency will be able to analyse which type of firearms and how many bullets were used on unarmed students and people during the uprising, according to sources.
In the letter, the agency further asked the DMP to provide details of ballistic reports of firearms used during the period, if any reports were made.
In the other letter, the agency told the DMP commissioner to provide an organogram of the Crime and Operations Unit and details of the officers and their designations, who were on duty from July 16 to August 5.
Taherul Haque Chowhan, deputy commissioner (headquarters and admin) of the DMP, told The Daily Star yesterday that they received the letters from the ICT on Saturday. The Crime and Operations Unit of the DMP has already been instructed to take the necessary steps and provide information.
“Hopefully, we will be able to provide the details soon,” Taherul said.
A high-ranking official of the agency, requesting anonymity, confirmed to The Daily Star that they were creating a list of armed goons belonging to political organisations, especially the Awami League and its affiliates Jubo League and Chhatra League.
Many of these party goons were seen using lethal weapons to suppress the student movement.
Some officers believe that the move to create a list of policemen allegedly involved in the crimes during the movement will deal another blow to the force, with its members facing hundreds of cases, including many on murder charges.
“We’re already suffering after being accused in criminal cases. If legal action is taken by analysing the CC reports now, many of us will be accused of a crime that we did not commit,” an officer with the rank of an additional superintendent of police, told The Daily Star.
The officer, requesting anonymity, said the move would shatter the field officials’ morale.
According to the Police Headquarters database, at least 449 police personnel have been accused in 300 cases, mostly on murder charges, over the July-August incidents.
As many as 17 officers, including two former inspectors general of police, and several other top serving officers, have been arrested in these cases.
A sub-inspector, who was posted at the DMP in the July-August period, told this newspaper that they performed their duty as per the senior’s orders.
“We didn’t even write or follow the CC reports properly during July 17-18 and August 3-5, as the movement peaked at the time.”
“So, it would be difficult to get the real picture from an analysis of the CC reports. But we are now facing charges,” said the SI, requesting not to be named.