Ex-MP Saiful, 4 Others Get Death in Ashulia Burning Case

Former lawmaker Muhammad Saiful Islam and four others have been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over the killing and burning of six youths in Ashulia during the July mass uprising.

The verdict was delivered on Thursday by a three-member panel of the International Crimes Tribunal-2, led by its chairman Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.

Saiful Islam, who has been on the run since the incident, was tried in absentia. The tribunal also issued an arrest warrant against him following the pronouncement of the judgment.

According to the prosecution, the incident took place on August 5 last year amid widespread protests linked to the July uprising. Police opened fire in Ashulia, killing six youths. Instead of handing over the bodies to families or following legal procedures, the victims’ bodies were later placed on a police van and set on fire in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.

A video of the incident, which later went viral on social media, sparked nationwide outrage and became one of the most disturbing symbols of the crackdown during the uprising. The footage showed multiple bodies stacked on the back of a police vehicle, while officers were seen loading another body onto the van. The bodies were reportedly covered with discarded clothes and protest banners collected from nearby streets before being burned.

The viral footage played a crucial role in the investigation, helping the families identify at least two of the victims and strengthening the prosecution’s case. Rights groups and civil society members had earlier described the incident as a clear case of crimes against humanity, calling for swift justice.

In its judgment, the tribunal observed that the acts were carried out in a planned and brutal manner and amounted to grave violations of human rights. The court said such crimes could not go unpunished, particularly when committed during a mass movement involving unarmed civilians.

The verdict is being seen as a landmark ruling in cases related to atrocities committed during the July uprising, with families of the victims expressing hope that it would pave the way for further accountability.