Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal has said the law is clear on appeals by individuals sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), citing a past Supreme Court ruling involving Abdul Kalam Azad.
Speaking to reporters at his Supreme Court office on Wednesday, Kazal said an appeal filed after the prescribed deadline would require the court to consider whether the delay could be condoned.
He said previous statements by government officials and legal representatives on the matter were consistent with the law and involved no misinterpretation.
Referring to the Abdul Kalam Azad case, the attorney general said the Appellate Division had previously considered a request to condone a delayed appeal but did not accept the arguments.
Asked how former prime minister Sheikh Hasina could return to Bangladesh, Kazal said he would not speculate on the process.
“She is a convicted accused sentenced to death and is currently outside Bangladesh. If she wishes to surrender before the law, she may return. But she must comply with the law,” he said.
On November 17, 2025, ICT-1 sentenced Hasina to death in a case involving crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising.
Kazal said any attempt to appeal beyond the stipulated period would be subject to the court’s decision on condoning the delay.