The first witness in the trial of Bangladesh’s fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina gave evidence on Sunday, a man shot in the face during protests that toppled her last year.
Hasina, 77, who has defied court orders to return from India to attend her trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity, is accused of ordering a deadly crackdown in a failed bid to crush the student-led uprising.
Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024, according to the United Nations.
The first witness, among the 11 cases that the prosecution is expected to present to the court, was Khokon Chandra Barman, whose story reflects the violence of the protests.
The 23-year-old wears a mask to conceal his face, which was ripped apart by a gunshot during the culmination of the protests on August 5, 2024, the same day that Hasina fled Dhaka by helicopter.
“I want justice for the ordeal I’ve been going through, and for my fellow protesters who sacrificed their lives,” he told the court.
Barman lost his left eye, while his right eye was damaged, as well as his lips, nose and teeth. A video showing Barman’s blood-covered face was played in court, with the opening statements aired on the state-run broadcaster.
Prosecutors have filed five charges against Hasina — including failure to prevent mass murder — which amount to crimes against humanity under Bangladeshi law.
“Sheikh Hasina was the nucleus around whom all the crimes committed during the July-August uprising revolved,” chief prosecutor Tajul Islam told the court on Sunday.
Hasina is on trial in absentia alongside two other accused.
One, her former interior minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, is also a fugitive.The other, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, the former inspector general of police, is in custody. He has pleaded guilty.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman said he wanted a “fair trial”, speaking to reporters outside the court.
“People were killed and maimed, we demand the highest punishment for the crimes committed,” Asaduzzaman said.
Amir Hossain, the state-appointed lawyer for Hasina, noted that Barman was shot during the chaotic final day of the weeks-long protests.
He pointed out that several police officers were also killed in clashes with protesters and it was “unclear who actually shot Barman”.
Hossain said he was not in contact with Hasina, who has refused to accept the authority of the court.