This section continued after the opening statement and the videos.

The Chief Prosecutor told the judge that the first prosecution witness was , and that his address shall be confidential for safety reasons, and it will be communicated to the court later. He then said that the trial will be conducted according to the Section 10(d) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act,1973 and witness statement shall be recorded as per Rules 54 and 55 of the International Crimes Tribunal (Tribunal1 ). He then read out these sections.

Testimony of Khokon Chondro Bormon
The Witness was put under oath, and with the assistance of some questions, he gave the following testimony

“My name is Khokon Chondro Bormon. I am a driver by profession. My age is 23. On the 18^th of July, I joined the protest that happened in the Signboard area of Narayangonj. I gave out slogans there for the whole day and then went back home at dawn. The next day, on the morning of 19/07/2024, I went from the Bhuighar area to the Jhalakathi area to join the protests. Then, we were moving towards Chashara, but could not go. When we were infront of the BGB camp, Police and BGB fired on us. A brother a bit ahead of me was shot on his chest and the bullet went through his body. He died on spot. I joined the protests regularly.

Then, on 5^th August 2024, around 9:00 to 9:30 am, I left my place at Sonali Market to join the protests happening at the Signboard area and reached there. We gave slogans in the protest and joined the march. From there, we started to move towards Dhaka. There, the BGB, Police and Ansar obstructed us. When we reached the Jatrabari area, it was around 12/12:30 pm. Then BGB shot a person. He was bleeding in a way as if a cow had been slaughtered. That bullet went through the body of that person and hit another person, and he was injured as well. The person who was shot in the head and the bullet went through his body, died at that moment. 

Then the Army reached there and fired blank rounds and asked the police to leave.¹ Then the police went back to the Jatrabari police station. Then, we were giving slogan in the presence of the army. We got news that Sheikh Hasina has resigned. When the army left the spot, the police got out of the Jatrabari police station and started firing on us as if they were hunting birds. We all tried to take shelter to save ourselves.Many of us and I hid behind the pillar of Jatrabari flyover. At one point, the police there started target shooting at us. Those who have been present there, most of them were shot either in the body or limbs. At one point, I took shelter behind the drum placed under the flyover. There, a policeman noticed me and shot targeting my head, but my eyes, nose, and face were affected. (At this point, the witness took of his mask and showed his face. It was noticed that his left eye was completely damaged/mutilated.) When I was shot, I was shouting in agony and I was not in a condition that I would survive. Then, I extended my hands seeking for help. Then, the student brothers that were presnt there picked me up and took my phone out of my pocket and I unlocked my phone.They informed my family and they took me to the Mugda Medical first.Seeing my condition, Mudga Medical sent me to Dhaka Medical. Dhaka Medical provided me with primary treatment and then sent me to Mirpur Dental Hospital. I got good treatment there and by the grace of God, I recovered a bit. I was under treatment there for 10 days, and after my treatment, I was sent to the National Burn Unit. I was there for a long time, and within that time, I was in the ICU for a month. I am currently under treatment. Then, I was sent to Russia for treatment on 21/02/2025. I came back from Russia on 07/04/2025. I will go to Russia again on 12/08/2025 for my treatment and I am sent to undergo a surgery in Russia on 18/08/2025.

Those who killed these thousands of people, for those actions, Ex Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Ex Home Minister Asadduzzaman Khan Kamal, Police Chief IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, Kauwa Quader (Obaidul Quader), Shamim Osman are liable and I want them to be prosecuted.

The video was made by one of my co-warriors. I don’t know his name. At the place of incidence, one of my co-warriors using my phone made the video and I gave the video to the investigation agency. The mentioned video has been played in the open court and the person who was shot on his nose, eyes, face and lying in that condition, was me. This is that video.

The investigating officer recorded my statement.”

Judge: Do you have anything else to say?

PW 1: I just want to say I want proper trial for the incident. 

Cross Examination

Defence: Are you Khokan Chandra Bormon?

PW1: Yes.

D: Are you a microbus driver?

PW1: Yes.

D: You, in your testimony given to the police mentioned, ‘I used to work as a microbus driver for Sim Group & Fabrics, Gawsia, Narayangonj.’

D: How were your duty timings in this organization?

PW1: I used to work from 9am till 6pm in the said organization. 

D: How many days a week?

PW1: I usually used to be on duty 6 days a week, sometimes I had to do duty all 7 days. 

D: So you couldn’t go out other than on holidays?

PW1: Apart from my holidays and off days, I did not have the scope to go anywhere.

D: The 3 dates you mentioned i.e the 18 and 19 July 2024 and 5^th of August 2024 were not off days for you, right?

PW1: The dates I mentioned in my testimony were not off-days or holidays. But, due to the protests going on, transportation services were off during those days.

D: My lord, when I cross examine – please the prosecution may not interfere. 

P: Okay. 

J: We will see. You may continue. 

D: Do you remember the first date of statement?

PW1: I do not remember the date.

D: It was 14/08/2024. Right? 

J: You cannot ask repeated question.

D: Okay.

D: ‘I joined the protest on 5^th August, we were moving from Signboard to Jatrabari’ in today’s statement. But in the old statement, you said you were going from Chashara to Jatrabari.

There then was a discussion between the prosecution, defence and the judges about the extent of cross examination that should be allowed. The prosecutors said that there was an appellate division decision that prevented the defence from seeking to show that there were differences in evidence between what was stated by the witness to the police and what was stated by the witness at trial. The judge accepted the prosecution argument.

D: Is it true that “We were protesting and reached Jatrabari with a rally, after reaching, we saw that the police were already there firing.”

PW1: It is not true that, during the protest and when we reached Jatrabari with the rally, after reaching, we saw that the police were already there, firing. This statement, as portrayed in the witness statement, is not true. 

D: When we moved forward, the police shot again, and the bullet went through one side of someone’s head, or blood was coming out as if a cow had been slaughtered, or that bullet went on to hit another person and he also got injured, or the one who was shot in the head died instantly—These statements are not true.

D: It is not true that, “When the army left the spot, the police got out of the Jatrabari police station and started firing on us as if they were hunting birds.” It is also not true. 

D: It is not true that, “When we marched forward, we saw the BGB, Police and Ansar were already shooting at the protesters. The person who was shot in the head died instantly.”

D: It is true that, “After the army left, the protesters started to attack the police and due to that attack, 13-14 Police officers of Jatrabari Police Station died and many more police officers were injured.”

D: It is true that “The protesting students were using locally made firearms on the police, and some of our own people were injured by those bullets.”

D: Is there a treatment documentation?

J; Are you suggesting that he did not take treatment?

D: No, I mean to say there is no documentation submitted to the court or at least I did not get a copy.

PW1: I took treatment at the Dhaka Medical Burn Unit, and I do have the documentation, which I have duly submitted to the investigating officer, and I can submit the rest of the documents too. During my surgery in Russia, the doctors removed a few pellets from my face, and I can submit them to court too.

D: The video played in this court depicted you saying ‘Allah Save Me’ but, you were not in a condition to speak.

PW1: That was said by somebody else.

D: It is not true that, “Those who killed these thousands of people, for those actions, Ex Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Ex Home Minister Asadduzzaman Khan Kamal, Police Chief IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, Kauwa Quader (Obaidul Quader), Shamim Osman are liable and I want them to be prosecuted.”, these words are not true. 

D: You gave false testimony and concealed information in front of this august tribunal

PW1: It is not true that, I gave false testimony and concealed information.

This was said at the end, not a part of the testimony, P Gazi Tamim: There is no provision as per the CrPC in the ICT Rules and Procedures. So, no contradictions can be made; It was confirmed in a review judgement (Criminal Appeal No. 24-25 of 2013, Page 195-199)- See attachment below: 

It is to be noted that the witness first stated the Army fired at the police, and the prosecutor said, “It was not supposed to be said,” and then the prosecutor and the Judge asked the witness to clarify.