BANGLADESH: EX-DMP CHIEF, TWO OTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER CHANKHARPUL KILLINGS

January 26, 2026:

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on January 26, 2026 sentenced former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Habibur Rahman and two others to death for crimes against humanity over the killing of six people in police firing at Chankharpul in the capital during the August 2024 mass uprising.
The other two sentenced to death are former DMP joint commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty and former additional deputy commissioner (Ramna zone) Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam, both of whom are fugitives.
All three, along with another convict, are still at large.
At the same time, the tribunal sentenced former Shahbagh police station inspector (operations) Md Arshad Hossain to four years’ imprisonment, while constables Md Sujan Mia, Md Imaz Hossain Emon and Md Nasirul Islam were sentenced to three years each.
This is the first verdict delivered by the tribunal in a case involving members of law enforcement agencies over the July mass uprising.
The verdict was delivered by a three-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumder.
The other members were Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired district and sessions judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and other prosecutors were present during the pronouncement of the verdict.
The tribunal had earlier fixed January 20 for delivering the verdict, but later deferred it as the judgment was not ready.
Among the eight accused in the case, four were arrested — former Shahbagh police station inspector (operations) Md Arshad Hossain and constables Md Sujan Mia, Md Imaz Hossain Emon and Md Nasirul Islam. The remaining fugitives are former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, former DMP joint commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former additional deputy commissioner Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam and former assistant commissioner (Ramna zone) Mohammad Imrul.
The tribunal framed charges against the eight accused on July 14, 2025, and ordered the commencement of the trial.
During the trial, the prosecution and defence examined and cross-examined a total of 26 witnesses over 23 working days.
The prosecution argued that the police firing at Chankharpul on August 5, 2024, was carried out on the direct orders of former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman and sought the maximum punishment for the accused.
Police opened fire on a peaceful student movement in the Chankharpul area, killing Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Junaid, Md Yakub, Md Rakib Howlader, Md Ismamul Haque and Manik Mia Shahrik, and injuring many others.