Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Youth and Sports adviser, appeared before the International Crimes Tribunal today (9 October) to testify in a case concerning crimes against humanity, filed over the killing of six people in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area during the July–August movement.
The case names former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman and seven others as accused.
Asif arrived at the tribunal premises at around 2:15pm, where he was scheduled to give his testimony. Today marks the tenth day of witness depositions in the case. He had earlier provided a detailed statement to the investigating officer during the inquiry.
In that statement, he alleged that members of the Detective Branch (DB) had forcibly recorded video messages from the coordinators of the July movement, claiming the footage was meant for the then Prime Minister and Home Minister. These videos were later circulated on social media.
He further stated that on 19 July, amid an internet shutdown, members of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) abducted him after tracking his phone. According to his account, he was blindfolded and held incommunicado for five days, unaware of his location.
Asif added that while visiting Aynaghar with the chief adviser on 5 August, he recognised the room in which he had previously been detained.
