Bangladesh's interim govt declares building inside cantonment as temporary 'prison'

Dhaka/New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) Bangladesh's interim government on Monday declared a building inside Dhaka Cantonment as a temporary "prison", amid speculation over the trial of 16 serving military officers for alleged crimes committed during the past government of the Awami League.

“The MES building no. 54 inside Dhaka cantonment has been declared as a makeshift jail under the authority of Section 541 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 and Section 3(B) of the Prisons Act, 1894 (IX of 1894),” said a statement issued by the home ministry.

It said the order was issued with approval of the "appropriate authority" and would take effect immediately, but did not elaborate further other than pointing out the exact location of the cantonment building.

On Saturday, the army said they took into “military custody” 15 of the 16 officers soon after Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) issued arrest warrants against 30 people, including the serving military officers.

The military said it has not received any copy of any warrant amid speculation over their trial in a civil court under the ICT-BD Act instead of a court-martial under the Army Act.

The home ministry, however, did not specify if the accused military officers would be placed in the building in Dhaka Cantonment, which it declared as the makeshift prison.

The development came a day after ICT-BD Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam demanded court appearances of the 15 serving military officers within 24 hours.

In a press conference on Monday, Islam said it was the ICT-BD to decide where the accused should be kept, but reiterated his demand asking for the military officers’ immediate court appearance.

"Our concern is that the work must be done according to the law. If the accused is arrested, he must be produced in the tribunal within 24 hours. This is what the constitution, the tribunal law, and the criminal procedure code mandate,” he said.

Last week, the ICT-BD issued arrest warrants against 30 individuals, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 16 serving army officers, accepting prosecution charges in two cases.

The charges involved their alleged role in “enforced disappearances or abduction and torture of political dissidents” during Hasina's regime.

Bangladesh Army’s adjutant general, Maj Gen Mohammad Hakimuzzaman, told a press conference on Saturday that 16 of their officers were asked to report to the army headquarters, and 15 of them responded. They were kept in military custody.

He said a Maj Gen, who served as the deposed premier's military secretary, went into hiding.

According to the military briefing, among the 16 officers summoned were two major generals, six brigadier generals, and several colonels and lieutenant colonels.

According to the ICT-BD warrant against 30 accused, 25 are serving or retired military officers, including five former Directorate General of Forces Intelligence chiefs. Several of these officers also served in the elite Rapid Action Battalion, comprising personnel from the armed forces and police. PTI AR ZH ZH