Witness Details Enforced Disappearances and Torture at JIC Tribunal
Testimony at Tribunal-1 reveals graphic accounts of secret detention cells, torture, and staged militant recoveries. A witness details his months-long ordeal following his abduction from his Nilphamari home in 2016.
On Tuesday, August 18, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 in Dhaka recorded further testimony in a crimes against humanity case involving allegations of enforced disappearances, severe torture, and the staging of dramatic militant recoveries inside the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC). The proceedings took place before a single bench consisting of Tribunal-1 member judge Md. Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury. During the session, the seventh witness in the case, Nure Alam, presented his remaining deposition detailing the harrowing experiences he and others allegedly suffered while detained in secret facilities.
The case involves a total of 13 accused individuals, among them the recently ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. According to the verified facts presented to the tribunal, Nure Alam was subjected to an enforced disappearance on April 12, 2016, after being taken from his personal residence in Nilphamari. The witness, whose background includes ties to Nilphamari Sadar Police Station and Nilphamari Government College, endured months of captivity before his eventual transfer to formal law enforcement custody later that same year.
During his detailed testimony, Nুরে আলম described the abysmal physical conditions of his confinement, noting that detainees were kept in severely restrictive holding spaces. Among the specifics provided to the tribunal were descriptions of confinement units measuring nine feet by three feet, as well as separate cells spanning roughly two-and-a-half to three feet in width and six-and-a-half to seven feet in length. These confined spaces served as the backdrop for intense interrogation and psychological pressure orchestrated by state security apparatuses.
The operational network allegedly involved multiple agencies and high-ranking figures. The testimony highlighted the direct involvement of personnel from the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)—specifically units including RAB-4, RAB-10, and RAB-7—alongside regular police forces. The witness recounted a specific interaction where ASP Ruhul Amin informed him about his abduction, stating, "You were picked up from home by DGFI people. First you were kept at the JIC. The next one was the TFI cell." Another unidentified individual was also noted as stating, "Sir, everything is fine."
The systematic ordeal eventually shifted from clandestine detention centers to documented police channels months later. On November 30, 2016, the detained individuals were officially handed over to the Akbar Shah Police Station. Following this transfer, Nুরে আলম faced further legal hurdles, enduring a period of eleven months of imprisonment under what were described as false charges before the judicial proceedings could begin to address the initial violations.
The ongoing tribunal hearings continue to examine the web of responsibility spanning across the 13 accused. Alongside the primary figures and agencies mentioned, the broader judicial record of the case incorporates numerous other individuals and entities, including Tajul Islam, Rajib, Dr. Iqbal, Rakib, Nazim Uddin, Abu Zar Ghifari, Sami, Miftah Uddin Ahmed, Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Mizanul Islam, Shaikhh Mahdee, Tasmirul Islam, Shahidul Islam Sardar, Abdus Sattar Palowan, and Ali Noor, as the court works to establish accountability for the alleged abuses.
