Bangladesh Army Officers Face Tribunal Over Crimes Against Humanity

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal has sent 15 army officers to jail on charges of enforced disappearances, murders, and custodial tortures during the Awami League regime. The arrests and trials under civil court have sparked tensions, especially within the armed forces, amid the upcoming general elections.

Fifteen serving army officers in Bangladesh have been sent to jail after being charged with enforced disappearances, murders, and custodial tortures during the administration of the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government. The International Crimes Tribunal took this measure following their court appearances from military custody on Wednesday.

The arrests, initiated by the tribunal’s orders, have raised concerns within the Bangladesh Army about the potential implications of trying military personnel under civil court rather than military law. The development comes as political tensions rise ahead of general elections scheduled for February.

The tribunal, established in 2010 to try war crimes from the 1971 Liberation War, is now being used to address alleged rights abuses during Hasina’s regime. These actions, combined with the heightened political climate, have resulted in unease among the armed forces, as well as brief protests across Dhaka and other cities.