Those Who Fired Bullets From Helicopters Are Criminals: HC

Those who fired from helicopters and those who gave the order are all criminals, said the High Court during a hearing today. 

"It can be said that all of us who were with this system are criminals," said the High Court bench led by Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif during the hearing of a writ regarding the investigation and compensation for the death of nine children who were shot dead during the quota reform movement.

The High Court bench critisised the Judicial Inquiry Commission saying those who were responsible for the firing from helicopters were not identified in the report, rather they put the blame on protestors.

Advocate Taimur Alam Khandker filed the writ by presenting articles from various newspapers and magazines on 1 August.

In addition to the inquiry regarding the nine children killed in the writ, the petitioner also demanded a compensation of Tk1 crore for each family of the deceased children. Also, if any other child death is found later, they will also have to be compensated the same.

When the writ petition seeking formation of a 3-member inquiry committee was presented to the bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice SM Masud Hossain Dolon on 4 August, they refused to hear the writ. At that time, the senior judge of the bench said that the political issue should be settled in the streets.

Later, the same bench heard another writ against the direct police firing on the protesters, which was also dismissed by the HC bench.