Shapla Chattar killings: Latif Siddique sent to jail in crimes against humanity case 

Former minister Abdul Latif Siddique was sent to jail today (30 July) after being produced before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 in a case filed over crimes against humanity committed during the 2013 Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel. 

The order was passed by the three-member tribunal headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury after prosecutors said Latif had been arrested under a warrant and produced before the court by law enforcement officials. 

Prosecutor Mizanul Islam told the tribunal that no petition had been filed on behalf of the accused and sought an order to send him to jail. 

After a hearing, the tribunal accepted the prosecution's plea, formally showed Latif arrested in the case and ordered that he be sent to jail. 

"I wanted to tell the court to sentence me to death. I'm ready to die. But the court did not want to hear me," Latif Siddique said while leaving the courtroom after the tribunal passed its order.

He was brought to the tribunal around 1pm in a Detective Branch (DB) microbus. His younger brother, Kader Siddique, president of the Krishak Sramik Janata League, was present in court.

The prosecution sought to show that Latif Siddique was arrested in the case and requested that he be sent to jail. After hearing both sides, the tribunal granted the application and ordered his imprisonment.

Before the order was announced, Latif Siddique's lawyer requested permission for him to address the court. However, the tribunal declined the request.

Standing in the dock, Latif Siddique repeatedly said, "My Lord, I seek your attention."

The tribunal then asked who had allowed him to speak and ordered the proceedings to stop.

"If this is how the court functions, where do I go?" Latif Siddique said before police officers attempted to remove the microphone from him.

After the tribunal's judges left the courtroom, Latif Siddique again said he had wanted to ask the court to impose the death sentence on him, adding that he was prepared to face death.

He was later escorted out of the courtroom, where a brief verbal altercation was seen between him and police personnel.

Kader Siddique also tried to approach his brother after the hearing but was stopped by police, leading to a heated exchange between officers and members of the defence team.

Latif was arrested from his Dhaka residence yesterday (29 July).

The case concerns the 5 May 2013 Shapla Chattar killings, in which the prosecution has brought crimes against humanity charges against 41 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Latif Siddique. Of them, 11 accused, including Latif Siddique, are currently in custody.