Half of all movable and immovable assets belonging to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and four other senior party figures sentenced to death will be confiscated and sold to compensate people killed or injured during the July-August 2024 mass uprising and their families.
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 issued the order yesterday while delivering its verdict in a crimes against humanity case, introducing a direct financial consequence alongside the death sentences handed to seven fugitive Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League leaders.
The confiscation order applies to Quader, Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, Jubo League President Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and Jubo League General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil.
The tribunal ordered 50% of all their movable and immovable assets confiscated.
The proceeds from selling those assets are to be distributed as compensation to people killed or injured during the uprising, or their families, through the July Foundation or another statutory institution.
No asset-confiscation order was issued against the other two convicts, Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan.
All seven convicts remain fugitives.
A three-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by its chairman Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, delivered the verdict.
Justice Md Manjurul Basid and Justice Noor Mohammad Shahriar Kabir were the other members of the tribunal.
The tribunal chairman read out the summary of the 557-page judgment.
The seven were convicted of crimes against humanity arising from the crackdown on the student-led mass uprising in July and August 2024.
Govt to trace assets
The confiscation order now places responsibility on the government to identify the assets belonging to the five convicts and execute the tribunal’s directive.
Responding to questions after the verdict, the chief prosecutor said the government would trace the convicts’ assets and their locations before confiscating half of the property identified.
“The government will implement this verdict; the state or government will identify the assets held by the accused and their locations, and accordingly, half of the discovered assets will be confiscated,” he said.
The order covers both movable and immovable property, potentially requiring authorities to identify a range of assets registered or held by the five convicts before the confiscation can be carried out.
The judgment specifically directs that the confiscated property be sold rather than simply transferred to the state.
“Half (50%) of all movable and immovable assets belonging to the accused -- Obaidul Quader, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, and Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil -- are hereby confiscated,” the verdict said.
It further ordered that proceeds from their sale be used to provide “appropriate compensation” to people killed or injured during July and August 2024, or their families.
30-day appeal window
Implementation, however, is subject to the legal process following publication of the judgment.
Under the applicable law, the accused have 30 days following publication of the tribunal’s verdict to file an appeal.
The chief prosecutor said confiscation and other measures might therefore not be carried out during that period.
“There may not be scope to confiscate assets or take other measures within that 30-day period,” he said.
“However, after the 30 days have elapsed, there is no impediment for the Government of Bangladesh to implement this verdict.”
The confiscation order accompanied the tribunal’s death sentences against all seven accused.
