Latif Siddique in the Dock: “I Am Ready for Death”

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka has formally recorded the arrest of former minister Abdul Latif Siddique and ordered his remand to prison. The charges stem from alleged crimes against humanity connected to the violent clearance of a mass rally organized by the Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam at Shapla Square in Motijheel, Dhaka, in May 2013.

Mr Siddique was presented before the court following his apprehension by law enforcement agencies under an outstanding warrant. A three-member judicial panel of ICT-2, presided over by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, issued the committal order after granting the prosecution’s application to treat the veteran politician as arrested in connection with the ongoing genocide investigation.

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam, alongside Prosecutors Mizanul Islam and Gazi M. H. Tamim, represented the state during the proceedings. Prosecutor Mizanul Islam informed the tribunal that the accused had been apprehended under a valid arrest warrant and requested his immediate remand to custody, noting that no formal bail or procedural applications had yet been submitted by the defence team.

Although the tribunal subsequently granted permission for defence counsel Abdullah Al Harun Bhuiyan to sign the power of attorney (okalatnama) and consult his client in the tribunal’s holding facility, high drama unfolded within the dock.

As the panel prepared to rise upon concluding the session, Mr Siddique repeatedly attempted to address the bench directly. Holding a microphone, the former minister sought the court’s attention on four separate occasions. Denied the floor due to the conclusion of official business, an agitated Mr Siddique expressed dismay at the procedural restrictions.

Before being escorted away by security personnel, the former minister voiced his frustration to observers, stating that he had intended to request the tribunal to pass a sentence of death, adding that he was fully prepared to face execution. A brief verbal altercation ensued between Mr Siddique and the police officers tasked with escorting him back to custody when he resisted instructions to sit down.

Contextual Background

The charges relate to the events of 5–6 May 2013, when thousands of activists belonging to Hefazat-e-Islam gathered at Motijheel’s Shapla Square to demand a 13-point charter, which included strict anti-blasphemy legislation. The peaceful assembly ended in chaos and widespread violence following a late-night joint operation by security forces to clear the square. While official estimates regarding casualties remain disputed, the crackdown resulted in numerous fatalities and injured hundreds, giving rise to protracted legal actions against several high-profile figures of the then-ruling administration.

Abdul Latif Siddique, a veteran politician and former Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology in the Awami League cabinet, has had a controversial political career. He was previously removed from his cabinet post and expelled from the ruling party in 2014 following public backlash over contentious remarks made regarding the Hajj pilgrimage during an event in New York. The current tribunal proceedings mark a significant escalation in the legal accountability surrounding the 2013 Shapla Square operations.