The International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun to five years in prison for turning himself in as a witness in a case of crimes against humanity for the July-August 24 genocide. Deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal have been sentenced to death in the same case.

Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal are absconding in this case. However, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun has been arrested and has been in jail for a year.

At around 12:30 pm today, a three-member judicial panel led by the chairman of the tribunal entered the courtroom. Exactly two minutes later, everyone involved in the case of crimes against humanity was thanked. Then, at 12:40 pm, judicial panel member Md. Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury began reading the first part of the 453-page verdict. After his reading, Justice Md. Shafiul Alam Mahmud began. The last verdict was read by the chairman of Tribunal-1, Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder.

After reading the brief verdict of two hours and 10 minutes, the tribunal first announced the verdict against Sheikh Hasina at 2:50 pm. She was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Abu Sayeed, including incitement, ordering the use of deadly weapons, drones, and helicopters. At the same time, the tribunal sentenced Hasina to death for the murder of six people in Chankharpul and the burning of six bodies in Ashulia.

Besides, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was sentenced to death for the formal charge-2 or the six murders in Chankharpul and the burning of six bodies in Ashulia. Mamun was sentenced to five years in prison for giving a statement as a royal witness. He was also guilty of the same crime. However, the tribunal was lenient towards him because he voluntarily and told the truth.

Police brought him to the tribunal from the prison in a prison van under tight security at 9:10 am on Monday.

The verdict in the case was set for today on November 13. A three-member judicial panel led by Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder set the date.

In Sheikh Hasina's case, the testimony and examination of 54 witnesses were completed in a total of 28 working days. The prosecution-state defense arguments and rebuttals were held in 9 working days. On October 23, after the closing statement of the state's chief lawyer, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman, and the rebuttals of Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and state-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain, time was given to set the date for the verdict.

The prosecution has brought five charges of crimes against humanity against the three accused in this case. These include incitement, use of deadly weapons, killing of Abu Sayeed, killing in Chankharpul and burning of bodies in Ashulia. The formal charges total 8,747 pages. Of this, 2,018 pages are references, 4,05 pages are seized and documentary evidence, and 2,724 pages are martyrs' lists. 84 people have been called as witnesses. The investigation agency of the tribunal submitted the report of the case to the Chief Prosecutor on May 12.