Verdict in Case Against Inu Scheduled for Tuesday
Hasanul Haq Inu — File Photo
The International Crimes Tribunal is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Tuesday in the crimes against humanity case filed against Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD) President and former Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu over the killing of six people in Kushtia during the July Mass Uprising.
The date was set by International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Prosecutor Gazi M.H. Tamim said.
Final arguments in the case concluded on May 14 this year, after which the tribunal kept the verdict pending. Inu is the sole accused in the case and is currently in prison.
The prosecution brought eight specific charges against Inu, including the killing of six people in his constituency of Kushtia during the July Mass Uprising, inciting attacks on protesters, ordering security forces to open fire on demonstrators alongside then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and instructing the Kushtia superintendent of police by phone to shoot protesters.
The prosecution submitted the formal charges on Sept. 25, 2025. The tribunal framed charges against Inu on Nov. 2 of that year. Testimony began on Dec. 1, with 10 prosecution witnesses and two defense witnesses appearing before the court. Closing arguments started on April 13, 2026, and concluded on May 14.
According to the prosecution, on Aug. 5 last year, Awami League leaders and activists, along with police, opened fire on unarmed student protesters and civilians at various locations across Kushtia following an alleged conspiracy, plan, and directives involving Sheikh Hasina, Hasanul Haq Inu, and Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif. Six people—Ashraful Islam, Suruj Ali Babu, Abdullah Al Mustakin, Mohammad Osama, Bablu Foraji, and Yusuf Sheikh—were killed in the violence.
The charge sheet also alleges that Inu sought to discredit the movement by labeling protesters as BNP and Jamaat activists, terrorists, and communal forces, and that he incited the use of force against them.
Claiming that all charges have been proven, the prosecution requested the maximum punishment for Inu. The defense, however, argued that the allegations were not substantiated and sought his acquittal.
Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam, along with Prosecutors Mizanul Islam and Faruk Ahmad, represented the state, while defense lawyers Monsurul Haque Chowdhury and Sifat Mahmud appeared on behalf of Inu.
