The Bangladesh Army has confirmed that the arrest warrants issued against senior officers by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) are affecting troop morale, even as the military pledges to uphold justice. The statement came from the army's Adjutant General, Major General Md Hakimuzzaman, during a media briefing in Dhaka on Saturday, October 11, 2025.
Military Leadership Addresses Unprecedented Situation
Major General Hakimuzzaman openly acknowledged the challenges posed by the legal proceedings. "I can't deny that the arrest warrants against military officers are affecting us, but we will remain steadfast in ensuring justice," he told reporters. He confirmed that 15 of the 16 serving officers summoned by the army headquarters are now in military custody and have been "detached from their families" while being held in high-security detention. One officer, Major General Kabir Ahmed, who formerly served as Military Secretary to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, did not report and is reported to have gone into hiding, with efforts underway to prevent him from leaving the country.
Tribunal and Charges
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued the arrest warrants on Wednesday, October 8, against 30 individuals in total. The warrants target senior figures connected to the previous government of Sheikh Hasina and her now-banned Awami League party. The charges stem from two separate cases involving alleged abduction, enforced disappearance, and torture of individuals at the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell, run by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), operated by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), during Hasina's 15-year rule. Of the 30 accused, 25 are serving or retired military officers, including five former directors general of the DGFI.
Ongoing Process
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, formed a commission to investigate cases of enforced disappearances, which has so far received around 1,700 complaints and has verified more than 250 cases linked to the Awami League's time in power. The detained officers are expected to be produced before the ICT on October 22. This development marks an unprecedented moment in Bangladesh, as it is the first time such a large number of senior-ranking serving and retired security officials are likely to face trial in a civilian court for alleged crimes committed during their service.