The writ petition filed in the High Court challenging the constitutional validity of International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973 is an attempt to make the tribunal controversial and undermine it, said ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam.
He alleged that a campaign is being carried out to question the tribunal’s judicial proceedings and the prosecution team’s achievements.
Speaking to journalists on the tribunal premises on Sunday, Chief Prosecutor Aminul said the tribunal has disposed of numerous cases since its establishment in 2010.
According to him, as trials against the fascist regime and its collaborators have been proceeding swiftly, lawfully and transparently, questions are now being raised about the tribunal’s jurisdiction and legal foundation with the intent of obstructing the process.
He further said that the person questioning the tribunal’s jurisdiction had previously participated in its cases. He claimed the petition was filed with ill motive and at the instigation of certain quarters to make the tribunal controversial.
The issue is also being raised in various international forums, he alleged.
Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Mohsin Rashid filed the petition recently. In the petition, the lawyer claimed several provisions of the Act are inconsistent with the fundamental rights in Bangladesh’s Constitution and contrary to the basic principles of justice. Therefore, the petition argues, judicial review of the constitutional validity of these provisions is necessary, he said.
