The judicial proceedings regarding the allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity, committed during the student-led protests in July-August, are set to begin at the International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday (17 October).
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam disclosed this information on Tuesday (15 October) following a courtesy meeting with the tribunal's justices. He further announced that the chairman and other justices of the tribunal would be officially welcomed on Wednesday (16 October).
On Monday (14 October), an official gazette notification was issued, forming the International Crimes Tribunal under the authority of the president.
The tribunal will be chaired by Additional Justice Mohammad Golam Mortuza Majumder of the High Court, with its other members being Additional Justice Mohammad Shafiul Alam Mahmud of the High Court and retired District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
Earlier, on 5 September, Advocate Mohammad Tazul Islam, a lawyer at the Supreme Court, was appointed as the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal.
The prosecution team also comprises five other prosecutors: Mohammad Mizanul Islam, Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim, BM Sultan Mahmud, Abdullah Al Noman, and Mohammad Saimum Reza Talukder.
The interim government has initiated steps to prosecute the atrocities committed during the July-August period in the International Crimes Tribunal, which was originally established in 2010 to address crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
Already, the tribunal’s investigation agency and prosecution team have submitted over fifty allegations of murder, genocide, abduction, and killings. The accused include former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her ministers, parliament members, law enforcement officers, leaders and activists of the Awami League, and media personnel.
Chief Prosecutor Advocate Tazul Islam stated that the tribunal would become functional as soon as the judges are appointed.
"Once the tribunal is operational, we will immediately request arrest warrants, travel bans, and orders to seize information and evidence. We will need the assistance of law enforcement to arrest the accused, and the tribunal will issue orders accordingly," he said.
The International Crimes Tribunal was initially formed on 25 March 2010 to prosecute war criminals of 1971.
A second tribunal, known as Tribunal-2, was created on 22 March 2012. However, on 15 September 2015, the two tribunals were merged into one, continuing the ongoing trials for crimes against humanity from the 1971 war.
