Hearings in cases filed over the killings and massacre during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at the International Crimes Tribunal are set to begin on Thursday.
ICT Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam shared this information following a meeting with the tribunal judges on Tuesday.
Tajul said: “The judges will be welcomed in the tribunal's courtroom tomorrow (Thursday). The next day, a three-member bench, led by its Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, will commence the hearings."
He further mentioned that the several petitions would be filed on behalf of the prosecution.
Earlier in the day, on their first working day after their appointment, the tribunal's chairman and two other members—Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired district and sessions judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury—arrived at the International Crimes Tribunal.
They arrived at the tribunal at around 12:30pm, where they were welcomed by the tribunal's registrar and other officials.
The Law Ministry issued a notification on Monday night, appointing Justice Golam Mortuza Majumdar as the tribunal chairman.
Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul met Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed at the Supreme Court on October 9. He later told reporters that the Supreme Court earlier cited the crisis of judges when asked about commencing the tribunal. Now 23 judges have been appointed in the High Court. The tribunal will be reconstituted in two or three days after the Durga Puja holidays.
Sources say the cases filed in various courts in connection with the July-August massacre will be gazetted by the government for trial under the tribunal. Since multiple crimes or cases have been committed in the same incident, a “crime scene-based” trial will be conducted in the tribunal to reduce the number of cases.
In addition to murder cases, the tribunal has received 12 cases concerning disappearances between 2011 and 2020, as well as several others involving disappearances and torture.
On the other hand, a total of 52 separate complaints were filed against former prime minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina till October 10. Earlier, 39 complaints were filed with the tribunal’s prosecution office and 16 with the investigation agency.
Sheikh Hasina has been in India since August 5. The interim government says the process of getting her back will begin after a court order.
The previous government formed the tribunal in 2010 to try the local collaborators of the Pakistani military for crimes against humanity—for instigation and complicity in murder, rape, looting, arson, and forcible conversion of Hindus—during the Liberation War.
The official journey of the tribunal began on March 25 of that year. On March 22, 2012, the Tribunal-2 was constituted. However, on September 15, 2015, the two tribunals were merged.
Until last year, 53 cases were disposed of in the tribunals, in which some 139 accused were sentenced. Among them, 99 people were sentenced to death and 25 to imprisonment until death. In addition, nine people were sentenced to life and six were given rigorous imprisonment.
After the completion of legal procedures in the first round, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Matiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid, Mir Kashem Ali and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury were executed.
Before the ouster of the Awami League government on August 5, at least 43 more appeals cases were pending for disposal. Two appeals cases—filed by former Jatiya Party state minister Syed Mohammad Qaiser and Jamaat leader ATM Azhar—were on the list for disposal.
