A serving officer of Bangladesh Army today told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that he witnessed activities and overheard conversations involving Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan in the days surrounding the disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali in 2012.
The testimony was given by Imrul Kayes, the fifth prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case against Ziaul, during his deposition before the tribunal.
Ziaul is accused of orchestrating the enforced disappearance and murder of 104 people between 2010 and 2013.
In his statement, Imrul said he joined the Bangladesh Army’s Armoured Corps in 2001 and was deputed to Rab headquarters from 2010 to 2012. During that period, he worked as a “runner” to Ziaul, who was then director of Rab Intelligence.
Recalling events prior to Ilias Ali’s disappearance, Imrul said that on or around April 13, 2012, he accompanied Ziaul, Major Naushad and Squadron Leader Saif in a microbus to the Mohakhali flyover area. He told the tribunal that Ziaul was making phone calls to determine when a “target” would arrive, but they were later informed that the target would not come.
Ilias Ali went missing from Dhaka’s Banani area on April 17, 2012.
Imrul further testified that while he was on leave, he learnt through media reports about the BNP leader’s disappearance. After returning to duty on April 23, he found a tense atmosphere at Rab headquarters. He said he was told by other Rab members that the armoury’s weapon in-out register and CCTV footage had been destroyed.
The witness also told the tribunal that he once overheard a telephone conversation involving Ziaul. According to Imrul, Ziaul was speaking to another person when he received a call and said, “Hang up, Tarique Sir has called.”
Imrul identified the caller as Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique.
He further said he could not hear the other side of the conversation, but heard Ziaul saying, “Sir, we golfed Ilias as per your instructions. If you act like this now, it won’t be right. I am a commando; it would be better if I were posted somewhere in the jungle.”
Following the hearing, Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam told reporters that the word “golf”, used in the alleged conversation, was a coded term. He said military personnel sometimes use code words such as “alpha” and “target”, and that “golf” was used to mean putting someone into a hole, implying enforced disappearance.
Ziaul Ahsan, the sole accused in the case, was present in the tribunal during the deposition.
