The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has ordered the publication of a newspaper notice directing six fugitive accused, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to surrender in connection with a crimes against humanity case over the alleged killing of nine youths in a staged militant incident at Mirpur's Jahajbari in the capital.

The tribunal also fixed March 8 for the next hearing in the case.

A two-member ICT-1, led by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, issued the order on Sunday.The other member of the panel is Justice Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

Eight accused in the case was scheduled to appear in the court today. As two were arrested, the tribunal ordered a notice to be published in the newspaper for surrender of the rest.

Earlier, the first tribunal issued arrest warrants against the six fugitives on January 29. The six accused are Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Sheikh Muhammad Maruf Hasan, Monirul Islam, Krishna Podo Roy, and Abdul Baten.

It had passed the order after taking into cognisance the formal charge filed against eight individuals. The ICT prosecution filed the formal charge with the office of the registrar on January 29.

On March 24, 2025, ICT-1 showed former Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque and former commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Asaduzzaman Miah arrested in the case.

According to the prosecution, members of different units of the DMP and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) conducted a raid at a house locally known as 'Jahajbari' in the capital's Kalyanpur area on July 26, 2016.

Subsequently, allegations surfaced that the raid was staged and that the nine individuals killed, who were branded as militants, had no links to militancy. It was further alleged that they had been in police custody for a long time and were shot dead at close range.

Following the incident, then IGP AKM Shahidul Haque visited the spot and claimed that the deceased were members of the banned militant outfit Neo-Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB).

Sun News/ra