Barrister Arman, son of executed war crimes convict Mir Quasem Ali, testified before International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Wednesday as the first witness in a case concerning enforced disappearance and torture at the Rapid Action Battalion’s Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell. He alleged that on August 9, 2016, armed men abducted him from his home and held him in secret detention for eight years. During his confinement, he was blindfolded, handcuffed, and subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse. Arman said his weight was measured upon arrival, and he was told later that he had narrowly escaped execution.

His testimony implicated former prime minister Hasina and 12 current and former army officers among 17 accused in the case. Arman described the TFI cell conditions, identifying it as part of the RAB-1 compound under the RAB Intelligence Wing. He recounted being kept in a damp cell, hearing other detainees’ screams, and suffering from illness and suspected poisoning. He said he was eventually released near Uttara’s Diabari area after years of captivity.

The tribunal, chaired by Golam Mortuza Mojumdar, recorded his statement as part of ongoing proceedings into alleged abductions and torture under the previous government.