Formal charges filed against Ziaul Ahsan for crimes against humanity
The prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) filed formal charges against Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, former director general of the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC), for his alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and the extrajudicial killing of hundreds of people.
Prosecutor Shyikh Mahdi, accompanied by Prosecutor Moinul Karim and others, filed the charges before the tribunal. The court is expected to hear the matter later today (17 December).
The formal submission follows grave allegations levelled by ICT Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam, who previously stated that investigators have obtained “exceptionally strong evidence” against the former senior army officer.
According to the ICT chief prosecutor, many victims were subjected to enforced disappearance, after which their bodies were allegedly cut open and dumped in rivers, canals, and wetlands to ensure they would not resurface.
Ziaul Ahsan is currently under investigation in multiple cases, including his alleged role in the 2013 Shapla Chattar massacre and widespread torture during his leadership at the NTMC and other national security agencies.
The ICT investigation agency has identified Ziaul Ahsan as a key figure alongside other high-profile accused, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former security adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, and former police chief Benazir Ahmed.
The prosecution has previously informed the court that Ziaul Ahsan is linked to the “highest number of crimes” among the current detainees. During earlier hearings, the prosecution resisted petitions from Ziaul’s legal team and family seeking to have lawyers present during interrogations, arguing that the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act does not allow a lawyer to sit before an investigation officer during interrogation.
Compilation of relevant news collections in this regard are as follows:
The Business Standard – https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/court/formal-charges-filed-against-former-ntmc-chief-ziaul-ahsan-crimes-against-humanity
bdnews24.com – https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/c2263c7fb5c5
Bangladesh Observer – https://www.observerbd.com/news/558528
Daily Samakal English – https://en.samakal.com/bangladesh/170846362/formal-charge-filed-against-ziaul-ahsan-for-enforced-disappearance-killing
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha – https://www.bssnews.net/news/342699
কালবেলা – https://www.kalbela.com/court-law/249830
বিডিনিউজ – https://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/a3c2b935b2c3
সারাবাংলা – https://sarabangla.net/news/post-1097426/
ঢাকা পোস্ট – https://www.dhakapost.com/amp/law-courts/417222
সময় টিভি – https://www.somoynews.tv/news/2025-12-17/XHDOvBU2
দেশ টিভি – https://www.desh.tv/law-justice/74542
দেশ রূপান্তর – https://www.deshrupantor.com/647285
দৈনিক ইনকিলাব – https://dailyinqilab.com/index.php/national/news/842986
আরটিভি অনলাইন – https://rtvonline.com/law-order/360012
বাংলা এডিশন – https://www.banglaedition.com/news/2025/12/17/257243
আমার দেশ – https://www.dailyamardesh.com/court-law/amdpwoqv61ilf
এখন টিভি – https://ekhon.tv/law-and-justice/69425fd697c95e15f65b92fe
সময়ের কণ্ঠস্বর – https://www.somoyerkonthosor.com/post/2025/12/17/694250e9815e4
দৈনিক করতোয়া – https://www.dailykaratoa.com/article/150368
Times of Bangladesh – https://tob.news/formal-charges-submitted-against-ziaul-ahsan-at-ict/
চ্যানেল ২৪ – https://www.channel24bd.tv/law-court/article/303276/%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%89%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%97-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2