During the second day of testimony before Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal-1, a witness claimed that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a “no release, no treatment” order during a hospital visit following the July Uprising.

The statement came as part of an ongoing trial for crimes against humanity committed during the protests.

Abdullah Al Imran, the second witness in the case, testified on Monday that he was shot in the leg during the student-led demonstrations on July 19, 2024, in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. He was being treated at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (commonly known as Pongu Hospital) when the then-Prime Minister visited the facility on July 26 or 27.

Imran told the tribunal that during the visit, Sheikh Hasina personally spoke to him and others. After learning of his involvement in the protests, she allegedly instructed hospital staff at the helpdesk, “No release, no treatment,” a directive Imran said he heard himself. At the time, he did not fully grasp its implications but later understood it to mean he would be denied proper medical care unless he remained in custody.

The witness described delays in surgery and an inability to obtain essential medicines. He alleged that attempts by his father to discharge him from the hospital were blocked, and at one point, there were efforts to amputate his leg before transferring him to prison.

Imran held Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and ex-Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun responsible for the incident.

The trial officially began on Sunday, with former microbus driver Khokon Chandra Barmon serving as the first witness. The proceedings mark the formal prosecution of alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July–August 2024 student-led uprising that shook the country.

Hasina and Kamal are being tried in absentia, having been declared fugitives. Legal steps have included public notices, court-appointed defense attorneys, and the formal framing of charges.

Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is the only accused currently in custody. He has confessed to his role in the alleged crimes and is serving as an approver (a witness for the prosecution after admitting guilt). He was present in court on Sunday, and parts of the trial were broadcast live on state television.