Tarique Rahman was held in a 'mirror house' on 1/11: Chief Prosecutor

Current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was held in a secret detention center of the Directorate General of Defence Intelligence (DGFI) Joint Interrogation Center or JIC Cell at Dhaka Cantonment and tortured during 1/11, International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam has claimed.

He made this claim while talking to reporters after visiting the JIC Cell at the DGFI headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment on Saturday (August 8).

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam said that during the previous government, a system was developed in the country where various individuals, including political dissidents, were allegedly held in secret detention centers. These places later came to be known as 'mirror houses'.

He said that during 1/11, Tarique Rahman was also held in a secret detention center of the DGFI. He also claimed that the prosecution has received sufficient testimony and evidence in this regard.

Aminul Islam said that the investigation has found information that the individuals who were involved in the operation of secret detention centers, detention and torture have been brought to justice.

He also said that if new evidence of someone's involvement is found during the investigation, they will also be brought to justice.

After visiting the JIC cell, the Chief Prosecutor alleged that some important evidence at the site had been destroyed after August 5.

He claimed that some parts had been hidden by building new walls in different places. In addition, several incidents of destruction of information and potential evidence have also occurred.

However, he said that the evidence and structures currently at the site are also important for the investigation and trial process.

The Chief Prosecutor said that there is a legal basis for on-site inspection of the site related to an ongoing incident.

According to him, it can be important for judges to see the current condition of the crime scene, get an idea of ​​the structure of the place and observe possible evidence there.

He commented that such inspections will also be helpful in ensuring justice.

On Saturday, the judges of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 inspected the alleged secret detention center of the JIC cell of the DGFI headquarters located in Dhaka Cantonment.

The inspection was conducted under the leadership of the Chairman of the Tribunal-1, Justice Golam Mortuza. The Chief Prosecutor, members of the prosecution team and the lawyers of the accused were also present at the time.

Earlier, the judges of the International Crimes Tribunal inspected an alleged secret detention center or 'gumghar' run by RAB in Uttara in the capital.

Prosecution sources claim that two cases are currently pending in the International Crimes Tribunal on charges of abducting and detaining various people in the alleged secret detention center run by RAB and DGFI.

As part of the trial process of those cases, the tribunal judges are on-site inspecting the relevant crime scenes.

As the investigation and trial process are ongoing, the final truth of these allegations will depend on the court's judicial decision.