Questions have been raised over the pace of proceedings at Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal in cases involving crimes against humanity committed during the July-August uprising.
The interim government reconstituted the International Crimes Tribunal in October 2024 to try cases related to crimes against humanity during the July-August movement.
So far, seven cases, including the case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, have resulted in death sentences for 23 people. Another 68 people have received prison terms of varying lengths, including life imprisonment.
However, questions have emerged over the pace of trials during the past two years, ranging from the leaking of tribunal audio to the slow progress of cases involving accused who are already in custody.
Questions have also been raised over the failure to submit charge sheets against former ministers Amir Hossain Amu and Dipu Moni. Allegations of slow progress have also surfaced regarding the trials of detained figures including Rashed Khan Menon, Kamrul Islam, Anisul Huq and Salman F Rahman.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said the prosecution had appealed against the portion of Sheikh Hasina’s verdict that sentenced her to life imprisonment, seeking the death penalty because the prosecution was not satisfied with that part of the judgment.
He also said the prosecution was dissatisfied with the tribunal’s 10-year prison sentence in the case against former minister Hasanul Haq Inu and would appeal to the Appellate Division very soon.
“So it is not correct at all to say that the tribunal is punishing fugitives but not those who are present,” Tamim said.
Meanwhile, although there had been strong calls for an investigation into the Awami League as an organisation, that process has yet to reach the trial stage.
Gazi MH Tamim said completing an investigation into the Awami League as an organisation would be a lengthy process.
“It is a very time-consuming process to complete an investigation into the Awami League as an organisation. And it is very rare in Bangladesh’s history for this kind of trial to have taken place. It has never happened before. No organisation has ever been tried in Bangladesh,” he said.
He added that investigators were taking time and consulting with the prosecution, which was assisting them in the process.
Meanwhile, allegations have also emerged that no arrest has been made despite an arrest warrant being issued against the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, who was at the centre of the July movement.
The prosecution has said that executing the arrest warrant is not its responsibility.
