Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal will hold a hearing on July 1 to formally consider war crimes charges against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
The tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortoza Majumder, confirmed it will proceed even though two of the three named individuals are not in custody. Only one of the accused has been arrested so far.
Warrants were previously issued for Hasina and Kamal. After they failed to appear, their names were published in two national newspapers. They did not respond.
To ensure the process moves forward, the court decided to appoint state lawyers for the absent defendants. This move sparked debate when one appointed attorney was found to have previously referred to Sheikh Hasina as a “killer” in Facebook posts.
When asked about the issue, prosecution officials clarified that the tribunal alone holds the authority to assign legal representation. Chief Prosecutor’s adviser Toby Cadman said the judges will need to weigh whether such a lawyer is appropriate.
“If there are serious objections, the tribunal will consider them,” Cadman said. “The focus must be on justice.”
The case relates to allegations of crimes against humanity during the July–August 2023 movement. Protesters and rights groups accused the government of severe abuses in its response to mass unrest during that period.
The tribunal accepted five formal charges involving the three accused. The court’s willingness to move ahead without full attendance signals a shift toward resolving high-profile cases tied to recent political unrest.
Another case is also moving forward. On July 2, prosecutors plan to submit formal charges against 16 individuals accused of killing six people and burning their bodies in Ashulia.
“We requested one more week to complete the filings,” a prosecutor said. “We’re working through the final checks now.”
They’re also giving themselves another two months to go after Ziaul Ahsan, the ex-army officer they think was involved in making people disappear. But this isn’t just about him or the other guys on trial this week.
This is about whether Bangladesh is finally going to face what happened back then. These court cases will decide if the state itself can ever be held responsible for the things it did.
