Former Bangladesh Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan testified that during his tenure, individuals linked to India’s intelligence agency ‘R’ regularly visited the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) office and operated from one of its seven meeting rooms. He stated that these visitors, reportedly under the patronage of retired Major General Tariq Siddiqi, provided DGFI with lists of people they identified as militants. Bhuiyan made these remarks on Monday while giving testimony before International Crimes Tribunal-1 in a case against Ziaul Ahsan concerning enforced disappearances and killings.

In his statement, Bhuiyan explained that as army chief he had multiple sources of information, including the Army Security Unit, the Directorate of Military Intelligence, and discussions with officers from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Through these channels, he learned that some junior officers were being misled and drawn into wrongful activities. He cited three specific incidents involving officers who admitted to killings during their service, describing his efforts to confront and counsel them about their actions.

The testimony highlighted Bhuiyan’s concerns about external influence and ethical lapses within military and law enforcement ranks, as presented in the tribunal proceedings.