Speculation is mounting that Mohammad Tajul Islam, the former Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), will contest the upcoming Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections for the 2026-27 term as the presidential candidate for the Jamaat-NCP alliance.
Tajul Islam has already collected the nomination form for the presidency.
Despite currently holding no formal party position, the news of Tajul Islam – who had previously distanced himself from Jamaat-e-Islami to join another party – returning as the candidate for the pro-Jamaat professional body has generated significant interest.
While neither Tajul Islam nor Jamaat has made an official announcement, the lawyer told TIMES of Bangladesh on Sunday night that he collected the form with the intention of contesting, though his final decision remains pending.
However, sources close to him indicate he has received a “green signal” from the Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), and AB Party panel to participate. There is reportedly a positive sentiment among pro-Jamaat and a section of general lawyers regarding his candidacy.
Alongside Tajul, many lawyers also wish to see Mohammad Shishir Monir, another prominent lawyer, contested for an important position due to their perceived skills and qualifications.
Tajul Islam’s professional and political journey has been interesting.
Following the formation of the International Crimes Tribunal in 2009 by the then Awami League government, he served as a defence lawyer for top Jamaat leaders, during which time he was detained by police on several occasions.
He later stepped away from these cases following disagreements with certain party leaders and played a key role in the formation of the AB Party (Amar Bangladesh Party) in 2020.
After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, Tajul Islam resigned from the AB Party. On 7 September 2024, he was appointed as the Chief Prosecutor of the ICT with the status of Attorney General.
Following the formation of the BNP government, he was replaced by a new Chief Prosecutor on 23 February this year, after which he returned to private legal practice.
Jamaat-e-Islami is reportedly keen to utilise Tajul Islam’s reputation as a skilled and well-known jurist, a move that reportedly has the support of alliance partner NCP.
However, Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer, Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary and head of the media wing, told the Times on Sunday night that he was unaware of any decision to nominate Tajul Islam as the alliance’s candidate.
A graduate of Rajshahi University (LLB, 1995; LLM, 1996), Tajul Islam began his legal career in 1998 and was enrolled as a Supreme Court lawyer on 30 January 1999. Known as an eloquent speaker and for his sharp arguments, he remains a prominent figure in the legal arena.
The distribution of nomination forms for the SCBA election began on 19 April and will continue until 28 April. Voting is scheduled to take place on 13 and 14 May.
