At around 12 noon on Thursday (29 October), the three-member judicial panel led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, chairman of International Crimes Tribunal-2, pronounced the verdict. The other two members of the panel are Judge Md. Manzurul Bashid and Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir.
The three accused sentenced to life imprisonment are Kushtia District Awami League President Sadar Uddin Khan, General Secretary Azgar Ali, and Kushtia City Awami League General Secretary Ataur Rahman Ata. As all four accused in the case are absconding, state-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain represented them in court.
In the case, the prosecution alleged that the accused were involved in inciting and assisting the suppression of the July mass uprising, ordering the use of maximum force against protesters in Kushtia, and the killing of six people in the city on 5 August 2024. Based on these allegations, they were charged with crimes against humanity, including murder, attempted murder, torture, incitement, instigation and aiding and abetting.
The prosecution claimed that at a meeting held at the Kushtia District Awami League office on 27 July 2024, an order was given to use maximum force to suppress the movement. Later, on 5 August, when protesters marched in Kushtia city demanding Sheikh Hasina's resignation, shootings occurred at various places. The case alleges that six people were killed by gunfire between 1:30 pm and 4 pm that day.
The six killed are worker Ashraful Islam, Suruj Ali Babu, students Abdullah Al Mustakin and Usama, businessman Bablu Farazi, and employee Yusuf Sheikh. The prosecution alleged that these killings took place as a consequence of the accused's planning, instructions and involvement.
The trial began on 2 November 2025 with the formal framing of charges against four accused. On 5 October of that year, the prosecution filed the charges, and the next day the tribunal took them into cognizance. After the examination of 19 witnesses in the case, the cross-examination of the investigation officer was completed on 23 April 2026. Later, after arguments, the case was kept pending for verdict on 7 October. On 27 October, 29 October was fixed for the pronouncement of the verdict.
