Chief prosecutor compares Ziaul Ahsan to Karadzic, the butcher of Bosnia

Mohammad Tajul Islam, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), has compared former Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC) Ziaul Ahsan to Radovan Karadzic, the notorious "butcher" of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

After a hearing at the International Criminal Tribunal on Wednesday, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam told reporters that he had compared Ziaul Ahsan's actions to those of Radovan Karadzic.

He stated, "Ziaul Ahsan held several key positions in RAB over the years, with his most recent role being the Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC). He is considered the architect of Bangladesh's culture of disappearances, abductions, and the subsequent brutal torture and disposal of bodies. During the Awami League government, he was responsible for systematically kidnapping, disappearing, and detaining for years those who dared to voice opposition. Many of these individuals have never returned."

Tajul Islam stated, "We have learned that BNP leader Ilias was abducted and killed under the leadership of Ziaul Ahsan. Additionally, many others, whose names remain unknown, have been abducted and tortured. His demonic nature... We have drawn comparisons between his actions and the genocide and torture carried out by Serbian forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the 90s. Just as the 'butcher of the Balkans' was responsible for such atrocities, Ziaul Ahsan has been involved in the murder, disappearance, and torture of countless individuals in Bangladesh."

In the meantime, the tribunal has instructed that the investigation into a case filed for crimes against humanity related to the July-August massacre be completed within a month. The case involves eight officials, including the former police chief and the former director general of NTMC. The court has also ordered that the accused remain in custody for the duration of the tribunal proceedings. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for December 19.

Translated by Mazdud