Tribunal orders newspaper notice for surrender of five, including Maksud Kamal and Zafar Iqbal, in July case

International Crimes Tribunal-1 has ordered the publication of a newspaper notice directing five accused, including former University of Dhaka vice-chancellor A S M Maksud Kamal and Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, to surrender in a crimes against humanity case over incidents during the July 2024 movement.

The notice has been ordered to be published in one Bangla and one English newspaper.

The tribunal gave the order on Tuesday (October 27). It also set November 12 as the next hearing date in the case.

Earlier, on September 20, the tribunal took cognisance of charges against eight people, including Maksud Kamal, in this crimes against humanity case over allegations of inciting an attack on University of Dhaka students. Arrest warrants were also issued against the fugitive accused.

The prosecution had filed formal charges against the eight on September 16.

The accused are Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, former University of Dhaka vice-chancellor A S M Maksud Kamal, former justice A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, University of Dhaka sociology department Professor A K M Jamal Uddin, banned Chhatra League central president Saddam Hossain and general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, Dhaka University unit Chhatra League president Mazharul Kabir (Shayan) and general secretary Tanvir Hasan Saikat.

According to prosecution information, more than three hundred students were injured in an attack on protesting students in the University of Dhaka area on July 15, 2024.

The accused face allegations of making inciting statements at that time and directly and indirectly aiding the attack.

Among the accused, Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, Jamal Uddin and Tanvir Hasan Saikat are in jail after being arrested in other cases.