Staff Reporter :
Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, chairman of the International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2), has pledged to conduct the trial proceedings of the crimes against humanity committed during the July-August mass uprising with absolute impartiality and without fear.
Speaking at a reception held on Tuesday by the Attorney General’s Office and the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, he stated that the tribunal will perform its duties with trust in Almighty Allah and will not be intimidated even in the face of possible attacks.
Justice Nazrul Islam was appointed as the chairman of the three-member ICT-2 by the government on May 8. The other members of the tribunal are Justice Md. Manjurul Bashid and Justice Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir. The tribunal officially began its activities on Tuesday.
Addressing the event, Justice Nazrul Islam said that for the past 15 years, those in power had ruled the country with cruelty and repression, silencing dissent.
He praised the sacrifice of hundreds of students and citizens who gave their lives to restore the people’s right to speak freely. He also emphasised that the tribunal would work toward easing the sufferings of the victims.
He acknowledged Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman and Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam by name, stating that both are committed to a fearless and unbiased pursuit of justice. The tribunal, he assured, will adhere strictly to international norms and human rights standards.
Speaking to reporters after the reception, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman expressed the hope that the tribunal would uphold justice against all forms of injustice, oppression, and cruelty, without leaving room for public doubt.
He stressed the importance of meeting international standards in order to prevent future political actors from daring to “steal elections in the dead of night.”
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam stated that Tribunal-2 had officially started its operations and would soon take on several cases transferred from Tribunal-1.
He expressed confidence that the public would witness meaningful progress in the delivery of justice. Highlighting the widespread fear caused by past enforced disappearances, he underlined the need for accountability for all past crimes to rescue the nation from such horrors.
Tazul Islam reiterated that the tribunal would ensure full justice while maintaining both national and international standards. The reception was attended by tribunal officials, prosecutors, and the tribunal registrar.
On August 5 of last year, the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government was overthrown amid a massive student-led uprising. According to the interim government, over 1,500 people were killed and thousands injured in the movement.
A United Nations investigation has implicated Sheikh Hasina herself in coordinating the killings.
Following the announcement to try the killings as crimes against humanity, the government reconstituted the three-member ICT-1 on August 14 last year.
With ICT-2 now operational, the judicial process enters a new phase, aiming to ensure justice for one of the darkest chapters in the nation’s recent history.
