The International Crimes Tribunal has set January 5 next year (2027) for the submission of the investigation report in the case against three journalists, including Shyamal Dutta, former general secretary of the National Press Club and editor of Bhorer Kagoj, over alleged incitement to crimes against humanity during the July uprising.
A three-member panel of International Crimes Tribunal-2, led by its chairman Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, passed the order on Sunday. The other two members are Judge Md Manjurul Bashid and Judge Noor Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.
The other two journalists arrested in the case are Mozammel Babu, former editor-in-chief of Ekattor Television, and Farzana Rupa, its former chief reporter.
At the tribunal on Sunday, prosecutor Faruk Ahammad applied on behalf of the state for two more months. He said there are three accused in the case, all of them under arrest, and they were produced before the tribunal on Sunday. Two more months are needed to submit the investigation report, he said. The tribunal granted the application and set January 5 next year as the next date.
On August 24, the tribunal had ordered the three journalists to be shown arrested and sent to jail, and set Sunday as the date for the investigation report.
According to the prosecution, then prime minister Sheikh Hasina held a press conference at Ganabhaban on July 14, 2024. That day, some journalists made provocative remarks in the guise of asking her questions. In response, Sheikh Hasina referred to the protesters as “children of Razakars” and “grandchildren of Razakars”. The prosecution claims the crimes against humanity committed in July and August followed from this incitement and provocation by the journalists.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report