The Bangladesh government has declared a building of the Military Engineer Services (MES) in Dhaka Cantonment a temporary jail to hold 15 serving army officers charged by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
According to a home ministry gazette issued Sunday, MES Building No. 54, north of Bashar Road, was designated a sub-jail under the Prisoners Act, 1984, with immediate effect. The officers were charged on October 8 in three cases, two over enforced disappearances during the Awami League government and one related to killings during the July uprising.
Brig. Gen. Syed Muhammad Motahar Hussain, inspector general of prisons, said the facility will operate under Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj. ICT Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam said only law enforcement agencies can arrest the officers, not the army, and must produce them before the court within 24 hours once formally arrested. The army said it is seeking legal clarification before producing the accused by the October 22 deadline.