Md Aminul Islam, chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, has said there is no scope for a retrial in the case of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity.
He said the trial had been completed in accordance with the law, and there was no room to hold it again on the wishes of any country or party.
He made the remarks while briefing journalists on the tribunal premises on Sunday afternoon (15 November).
The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising. New Delhi recently told BBC Bangla of two conditions for returning her from India, where she is living. The two conditions set by India’s Ministry of External Affairs are that she be allowed to appeal against the death sentence, and that her trial on genocide charges be started afresh.
Asked by journalists about India’s conditions, chief prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said: “When India itself has repealed its law on retrials, how can it want a retrial of Sheikh Hasina? There is no scope for a retrial under the existing law.”
The chief prosecutor also said the tribunal’s prosecution and investigation teams would hold public hearings across the country to gather evidence of repression and crimes against humanity under the former Awami League government. The hearings will begin in Jashore district next Wednesday. He called on everyone, including the families of those killed in July and political parties, to take part.
Separately, testimony formally began today in the crimes against humanity case over the killing of six people, including Chhatra Dal leader Md Wasim Akram, in Chattogram during the July 2024 uprising. The trial began in the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, about four and a half months after the charges were framed. Chattogram July activist Anis Ahmed gave his statement as the first witness.
The case has 22 accused in all, including former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel and former MP ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury. The tribunal framed charges against the accused and ordered the trial to begin on 30 June, but the opening statement and testimony were delayed by various defence applications.
For the hearing, five accused held in custody in the case, including ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury and Jubo League leader Azizur Rahman and Tauhidul Islam, were brought to the tribunal this morning. The other 17 accused are fugitives. Besides Hasan Mahmud and Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, they include former Chattogram City Corporation mayor AJM Nasir Uddin.
Of the three charges brought by the prosecution, the first concerns the killing of Md Wasim Akram, Faisal Ahmed Shanto and Md Faruk in Chattogram on 16 July 2024. The second concerns the killing of Tanvir Siddiqui, Md Saimon and Hridoy Chandra on 18 July, and the third the serious injury of more than a hundred people.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report