Tribunal nears verdict in Awami League leaders' uprising case

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 is preparing to deliver a verdict in a high-profile case against Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and six other party leaders. The charges stem from alleged atrocities committed during the July uprising in 2024. The tribunal has kept the case for judgment after both the prosecution and defense concluded their arguments.

All seven accused are currently absconding. The prosecution has called for the maximum punishment, asserting that the charges against them have been proven. They portrayed Quader as a central figure in suppressing the mass uprising, alleging he directed the mobilization of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations against protesters. The prosecution also presented an audio recording, which forensic examination reportedly authenticated, in which Quader is heard questioning why protesters were not being beaten and allowed to "grow." The prosecution claims this led to armed Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men attacking unarmed students on July 15, 2024, injuring over 300.

Conversely, the defense argued that the prosecution failed to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt and requested the accused be discharged. The tribunal had framed charges against the seven individuals on January 22, 2024. The case now awaits the tribunal's decision.

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why protesters were not being beaten and why they were being allowed to “grow”.