15 Bangladesh Army Officers Detained: First-Ever Civil Court Charges for Crimes Under Sheikh Hasina Regime

The army officers have been placed in military custody. (Representational)

In what appears to be an unprecedented development, approximately 15 Army officers have been taken into custody regarding alleged serious crimes committed during the previous administration of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These detentions followed the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issuing arrest warrants for 25 army officers connected to three cases before the tribunal related to protests that ultimately led to Sheikh Hasina's government overthrow in August 2024.

Officials confirmed that the army officers are currently being held in military custody.

Major General Mohammad Hakimuzzaman, the Army's Adjutant General, stated, "Directives were issued requesting 16 officers to report to army headquarters. Fifteen of them complied with this request."

"As you can see in the chargesheet, the complete list contains approximately 25 names. Among these 25 individuals, nine have been dismissed or retired. One person is on Leave Prior to Retirement. 15 are active-duty officers. Therefore, the law does not fully apply to retired personnel. For those who are serving and on LPR, 15 + 1, we have issued an attachment order for them to enter military custody. In any government service, even when someone transfers from one location to another, they are allocated time, known as journey time, as well as joining time. They were instructed to report to Dhaka Cantonment by October 8," Hakimuzzaman elaborated.

Mohammad Tajul Islam, the Chief Prosecutor in this case, has demanded that the officers be brought before the court to stand trial. The prosecution has formally charged 28 individuals, including the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 23 high-ranking and mid-level current and former army officers.

According to the Army, they have not physically received a warrant, and they will adhere to constitutional provisions. Taking officers facing allegations into custody initially is an established practice, the army explained, and any action is only taken following a verdict, in accordance with military protocol maintained for the past 54 years.

The army reported that only one individual has not responded to their notice: Major General Kabir Ahmed, a two-star officer of the Bangladesh Army and former military Secretary to the ex-Prime Minister. Ahmed was under investigation by the International Crimes Tribunal regarding his activities during his tenure as Director General of Forces Intelligence. The army has been unable to establish communication with this officer, and he has been declared AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave).

This matter has the potential to evolve into a fresh confrontation between the Army and the interim administration, as this represents the first time in Bangladesh's history that active military officers have been charged in a civil court for alleged crimes against humanity.

While previous instances have been denied by both Muhammad Yunus's interim government and Army Chief General Wakar Uz Zaman, the current issue could escalate significantly as the tribunal has issued instructions to relevant agencies, including police and military services, to apprehend these officers.