Three judges appointed to Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal

High Court judge Mohammad Golam Mortuza Majumdar is the new chairman of the tribunal

Law Advisor Asif Nazrul has announced the names of three judges for the tribunal formed to try crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising.

At an emergency media briefing at the Secretariat on Monday, the advisor said the law ministry's part in setting up a war crimes tribunal with two High Court judges and a retired district and sessions judge has been completed in consultation with the Supreme Court.

High Court’s additional judge Justice Mohammad Golam Mortuza Mozumder will head the tribunal as chairman, with Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired district and sessions judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury being the other members.

Mortuza, the chairman of the reconstituted tribunal, and Shafiul were appointed judges to the High Court six days ago.

On that day, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs issued a notification announcing the appointments of 23 additional judges. They were sworn in the next day.

“A major step has been completed with this in initiating the trial which will begin soon. Pre-trial stage proceedings such as collection of evidence and investigation have begun. The prosecution and investigation teams have gathered a lot of credible evidence. Judicial proceedings will begin soon,” Asif said.

The Anti-discrimination Student Movement that started in July had turned into a wider anti-government campaign at one point. The 15-year rule of the Sheikh Hasina government came to an end after almost 36 days of violence on Aug 5.

In post-uprising Bangladesh, student protesters and some apolitical individuals with support from political parties were given the responsibility of operating the government.

Now there is a demand for justice in the incidents of organised killings and attacks in the student-led movement.

More than 1,000 people were killed during the brutal massacre during the civil uprising. Thousands of students were injured, some permanently blinded and crippled.

The International Crimes Tribunal, or ICT, will be activated within two days to try the crimes, the advisor said.

"What has to be done by the law ministry has been done. Any assistance requested thereafter will be provided.”