Home
+
Published : 17 Nov 2025, 12:13 AM
For more than a decade, the International Crimes Tribunal symbolised Sheikh Hasina’s pursuit of war-crimes justice. Now, that institution has become the arena of her gravest trial, as prosecutors argue she oversaw “killings, disappearances, and repression” when Bangladesh convulsed in July’s Uprising.
The three-member tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, is scheduled to announce its verdict on Monday.
Apart from Hasina, the case names former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and the then IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun as defendants.
Among the three, only Mamun has admitted guilt and acted as a state witness. He remains in custody, while the other two are declared fugitives, with proceedings continuing in absentia.
The five charges against the trio include: incitement, provocation, and giving instructions for the killing of 1,400 people during the movement crackdown, superior command responsibility, and joint criminal enterprise.
A total of 45 cases linked to the July crimes against humanity, enforced disappearances, and other allegations are currently pending before the two benches of the International Crimes Tribunal.
The tribunal is handling 45 cases linked to alleged crimes against humanity in July 2024, including enforced disappearances, across its two benches.
Of these, six cases have moved into the witness examination stage following the framing of charges, while one case has reached the stage for verdict.
The tribunal’s investigation agency has also begun inquiries into the allegations brought against the Awami League as a political organisation.
Alongside Hasina, several of her ministers, Awami League officials, government officers, police personnel, and two dozen former and current Army officers are defendants in these proceedings.
After the Awami League returned to power, the International Crimes Tribunal was established to prosecute crimes against humanity committed in 1971.
Since its inauguration on Mar 25, 2010, the tribunal has delivered verdicts in more than 50 cases. Among the 189 convicted individuals, 140 have been sentenced to death.
Following appeals, six death sentences have been carried out. Five of those executed were leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami, while one belonged to the BNP.
While 30 cases of 1971 war crimes remain pending, proceedings were halted after the caretaker government reconstituted the tribunal to pursue the July killings.
Hasina faces three other tribunal cases, including two alleging enforced disappearances and torture of those opposing administrative views during Awami League rule, and one accusing her of mass killings at Shapla Chattar.
THE LEGAL BASIS
The July Uprising toppled the Awami League government and Hasina fled to India. Hundreds of cases were filed against her across courts and police stations, with numerous party members charged.
During this period, the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus initiated prosecution of the July killings at the International Crimes Tribunal.
Law Advisor Asif Nazrul told journalists at the Secretariat on Aug 14, 2024: “It can be categorically stated that trial proceedings will be taken under the ICT.”
Expanding on this, he said: “Former government officials, including the prime minister, implicated in giving orders, will be scrutinised. We will not spare anyone. If there is superior command responsibility, it will be examined thoroughly.”
Questions arose whether the existing ICT law could cover Hasina’s trial. Nazrul confirmed it could.
The 1971 war crimes trial was part of Awami League’s 2008 election manifesto. After winning the ninth national election, the government initiated investigations under the 1973 International Crimes Tribunal Act.
The law was originally enacted to prosecute crimes against humanity committed during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971. Amendments in 2009 allowed individuals and groups to be brought under the tribunal’s jurisdiction and permitted independent tribunal proceedings.
This framework enabled the formation of the tribunal, lawyer panels, and investigative agency in 2010.
According to Section 3(1) of the 1973 act, any individual, group, organisation, or armed, defence, or auxiliary force member, regardless of nationality, involved in crimes listed in subsection 2, whether before or after the law’s enactment, falls under the tribunal’s jurisdiction and punishment.
Thus, the tribunal has authority to try any person, group, or military and paramilitary force involved in crimes against humanity, crimes against peace, genocide, war crimes, or violations of the Geneva Conventions.
Rana Dasgupta, former ICT prosecutor under Hasina’s government, told BBC Bangla: “This law has a long background. It was enacted in the context of the 1971 Liberation War to prosecute those who committed war crimes.”
He added that, strictly speaking, the law does not apply to the July events.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman told BBC Bangla: “Under the 1973 act, crimes against humanity fall under the definition of an offence, unlike other crimes.”
Accordingly, subsection 2(a) of Section 3 allows the tribunal to prosecute Hasina for crimes against humanity.
Under this law, acts such as killing, eradication, enslavement, exile, imprisonment, abduction, detention, torture, rape, or other inhumane acts against civilians, as well as political, ethnic, or religious persecution, can be tried by the ICT.
CASE CHRONOLOGY
• Aug 15, 2024: Days after Hasina left the country, charges of crimes against humanity were filed against her at the International Crimes Tribunal.
• Oct 17, 2024: Acting on a prosecution petition, the tribunal issued an arrest warrant for Hasina.
• Nov 10, 2024: The tribunal’s prosecution wrote to police requesting an Interpol Red Notice to arrest her. Documents were later sent in December. Bangladesh Police’s National Central Bureau (NCB) applied to Interpol for issuance of the Red Notice in April 2025.
• May 12, 2025: The tribunal’s investigation agency submitted its investigation report to the chief prosecutor.
• Jun 1, 2025: Formal charges were filed before the tribunal. Proceedings that day were broadcast live from the tribunal. After accepting the charges, the tribunal issued fresh arrest warrants against Hasina and Asaduzzaman.
• Jul 10, 2025: The tribunal framed charges against the three suspects and ordered the start of the trial, while granting permission for former IGP Mamun to turn state witness.
• The state was represented by Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam and the prosecution team. Mamun was represented by lawyer Zayed Bin Amjad. For Hasina and Asaduzzaman, the court-appointed defence counsel was Amir Hossain.
• A total of 81 witnesses were listed, including two advisors of the interim administration and the editor of a national daily. Ultimately, 54 witnesses testified. Among them were Abu Sayed’s father -- representing victims of the mass uprising -- families of the deceased, Nahid Islam, convenor of the National Citizen Party and a leader of the July movement, and Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the daily Amar Desh.
• Oct 23, 2025: After closing arguments, the case was kept pending for verdict.
• Nov 13, 2025: The court announced that the judgement would be delivered on Nov 17.
