Dhaka: Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed has said that a new era has begun with the inauguration of the renovated main building and courtroom of the International Crimes Tribunal for conducting trials of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in July-August 2024.

He made the remarks while inaugurating the renovated main building and courtroom of the International Crimes Tribunal on Tuesday (January 7).

At the time, International Crimes Tribunal Chairman Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam, among others.

The Chief Justice said that the great tradition that this historical establishment holds in the judicial history of this land as the 'Dhaka High Court' or the 'Old High Court Building' will be fulfilled to a new level by bringing transparency, due legal process and following the principles of justice in the trial of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in July-August 2024.

Regarding the Chief Justice's expectations for the tribunal, he said that the Chief Justice has the same expectations that an ordinary citizen has for the International Crimes Tribunal in the trial of genocide and crimes against humanity committed from the genuine consciousness of his heart to stem a mass tide of moral support from the entire nation.

More than a hundred students of Prime Asia University clashed with police in front of Gate No. 1 of the Bangladesh Secretariat.

On Tuesday (January 7), more than a hundred students took a stand on the road in front of the National Press Club demanding a permanent campus and the resignation of the chairman of the Board of Trustees. The incident occurred when they went to the Secretariat.

Prime Asia University students took a stand on the road in front of the National Press Club from 2:30 pm today demanding a permanent campus and the resignation of the chairman of the Board of Trustees. They stayed there for about 30 minutes. Later, they moved towards the Education Building.

It is learned that a four-member delegation of Prime Asia University students went inside to meet the Education Adviser. They were supposed to meet the Education Adviser at 4:30 pm. More than a hundred students were waiting outside. Those students who were waiting got into an argument with the police. Later, the police resorted to lathicharge. Later, the police fired two rounds of blank fires to bring the situation under control.

No friendly country can shelter the killer of the people of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has been remarked by BNP Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu.

He said this at a civic rally organized in front of the National Press Club on Tuesday (January 7) on the occasion of Felani Murder Day under the initiative of the 'Save the Country, Save the People' movement.

Addressing the interim government, Shamsuzzaman Dudu said, 'India is trying to prevent good elections in Bangladesh and prevent a political government from coming to power. You should not fall into that trap. Hasina fell into that trap and she was out of the elections. We support what Dr. Muhammad Yunus said about elections at the end of this year and the beginning of next year. If we can hold the elections within that time, we will have to walk towards the elections to overcome the crisis that has arisen in Bangladesh. Price spiral in the market, deterioration of the law and order situation, stagnation of business and commerce, and unrest among the people. If we can hold elections within this time, I hope we will be free from these crises. So now the government should make arrangements for elections without delay.'

The former convener of the Krishak Dal said, 'Bangladesh considers India as a friendly country. We have not taken any steps against them so far, which has shown any resentment towards a friendly country. But India has not considered Bangladesh a friendly country. If I bring forward the events of 53 years today, it will seem that whenever India has taken any steps so far, no friendly country can take them. Yet India claims that they are our friendly country. The Indian army has looted the weapons that the Pakistanis had left in 1971. They have looted the country's resources in various ways. '

He said, 'One of the leaders of Southeast Asia, the proclaimer of Bangladesh's independence, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, established friendly relations with Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and formed SAARC to develop Bangladesh. But due to India's non-cooperation, SAARC is on the verge of extinction.'

The former president of Chhatra Dal said, 'The massacre that the students and the public carried out in the mass uprising five months ago. That murderous dictator Sheikh Hasina was sheltered by another country of murderers who killed Felani. They are killing Bangladeshis on the border. India, a country that claims to be our friend, has sheltered the murderer of the common people of our country.'

He said, 'Bengalis are a nation of heroes. I don't think India will be spared if it once turns against this injustice of India. This nation has defeated the trained Pakistani army. They say that India made us free after fighting for seven to ten days. They claim that 10-15 thousand of their soldiers died, and I pay tribute to them. But that does not mean that these 14-15 thousand people gave us freedom. This country became independent in exchange for 30 lakh martyrs in this country. And these 30 lakh martyrs are citizens of this country. India's claim is a vain claim, the claim that India makes is not the claim of a friendly country. Felani was shot and killed, a teenage girl and hung her on a barbed wire for five days. Just as Sheikh Hasina made fun of staying in power, India made fun of the Felani murder trial. They have set a murderer free.'

'Save the country, save the people' movement president KM Rakibul Islam Ripon also spoke at the civic rally, while BNP Chairperson's adviser Habibur Rahman Habib, Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, Labor Party Chairman Lion Faruk Rahman, Krishak Dal leader SK Sadi, Abdur Razi and others.

The court has ordered the seizure of 18 flats in different parts of Dhaka belonging to former Chairman of Padma Bank Limited Chowdhury Nafiz Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid, and son Chowdhury Rahib Safwan Sarafat.

Dhaka Senior Special Judge Md. Zakir Hossain (Galib) issued this order on Tuesday (January 7) following an application by the ACC.

Apart from the flats, the court also ordered the seizure of houses and plots, including land, in the names of Nafiz Sarafat and Anjuman Ara Shahid.

The attached assets include a 20-storey house in Gulshan, one in Gulshan, four in Dhaka's Cantonment Bazar, one in Nikunja North Residential Area and 50 percent of a flat in Bashundhara Residential Area, two plots in Nikunja, two and a half kathas in Kathaldia, Badda, 20 kathas each in Kaliakoir, Gazipur, 8.25 percent land in Gazipur Sadar, 4.95 percent land in Joar Sahara in Nikunja, and 7.5 kathas of land in Rajuk Purbachal plot, Rupganj, Narayanganj.

Anjuman Ara Shahid owns a four-storey house on seven and a half kathas of land in Bashundhara Residential Area, one in Panthapath, one in Gulshan Link Road, one in Mirpur DOHS, one in Shahjadpur and 50 percent of a flat in Bashundhara Residential Area, three kathas of land in Nikunja, two and a half kathas of land in Kathaldia, Badda and 8.25 percent of land in Gazipur Sadar. The court has ordered the attachment of three flats in Banani and four in Baridhara in the name of Rahib Safwan Sarafat.

The ACC investigation team's head, Deputy Director of the Commission Masudur Rahman, had applied for the attachment of these immovable assets.

The application states that an investigation is underway against Nafiz Sarafat and others on various charges including bribery, corruption, fraud, abuse of power, cheating customers and embezzling about Tk. 887 crore in collusion with each other through themselves. A review of the information collected about the alleged perpetrators revealed that information about immovable properties in various parts of the country was found in the names of Chowdhury Nafiz Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid, and his son Chowdhury Rahib Safwan Sarafat, and they are absconding.