An investigation is currently underway to try the Awami League (AL) as an organisation under the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Act, with the legal possibility of banning the party and confiscating its assets if the allegations are proven.
Chief Prosecutor of the ICT Md Aminul Islam shared this information during a press briefing at his office on Sunday.
He said that the tribunal is currently investigating whether the AL will be tried as an organisation. If primary evidence is found and a formal report is submitted following the probe, the Chief Prosecutor’s office will take the necessary legal steps to proceed with the trial.
“If the investigation finds truth in the allegations of crimes against humanity, it will be possible to conduct a trial against the Awami League under the International Crimes Tribunal Act,” Aminul Islam told reporters.
He further noted that if the charges are specifically proven, the party could be banned through a legal process, and the law also allows for the confiscation of the party’s property.
The chief prosecutor highlighted that the AL can be tried under both the International Crimes Tribunal Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act.
He pointed out that the legal framework for trying a political party or organization was actually established during the Awami League’s own tenure. Notably, the AL government had previously used the Anti-Terrorism Act to ban Jamaat-e-Islami.
The current investigation covers several serious allegations, including the killings at the Hefajat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel on 5 May, 2013, as well as various crimes, including murder, committed during the July mass uprising.
During the briefing, Aminul Islam urged the ousted prime minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina to return to the country and face trial in court.
He specifically mentioned that initiatives would be taken to bring her to justice for the Shapla Chattar killings and other specific cases.
These remarks from the Chief Prosecutor follow a statement made a day earlier, on Saturday by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed.
Speaking at the July National Conference at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, the home minister said Awami League has faced a total political downfall and would never be able to practice politics in Bangladesh again.
He added that demands for the trial of the AL as a political party have surfaced, investigations are ongoing, and they will soon be brought to justice according to the law.
Following those remarks, the chief prosecutor on Sunday elaborated on the progress of investigations and the existing legal framework governing such cases.
