Ministry to oversee July Uprising trials
Staff Reporter :
The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs has formed a seven-member committee to ensure smooth and effective prosecution of cases filed over killings and other serious crimes committed during the July Uprising last year.
The July uprising toppled the then Awami League government which attempted to suppress student and public protests but failed to control the mass upsurge which forced Sheikh Hasina to flee to India for shelter.
In a statement issued on Monday, signed by Dr Md Rezaul Karim, Public Relations Officer of the ministry, it was announced that the committee will be chaired by an Additional Secretary of the Law and Justice Division.
The body will also include a representative from the Home Ministry not below the rank of Joint Secretary, a police officer of at least Deputy Inspector General rank, a family member of a martyr nominated by the July Martyrs’ Memorial Foundation, a human rights activist nominated by the Law Ministry, a lawyer nominated by the foundation, and the Deputy Solicitor of the GP-PP Branch of the Law and Justice Division, who will serve as the committee’s member-secretary.
The committee has been tasked with compiling a full list of cases filed over killings and other grave offenses during the July Uprising, noting the current stage of each case.
It will also review cases where charge sheets have already been submitted, identify any problems in carrying out prosecutions – excluding those under trial in the International Crimes Tribunal – and submit recommendations to the government to resolve those obstacles.
Beyond courtroom procedures, the committee will keep victim families and the public informed about the progress of cases and will recommend measures to guarantee the security of victims and witnesses.
The ministry underscored the trials of murder cases being heard in the International Crimes Tribunal are continuing smoothly.
It expressed optimism that the creation of this committee will make the judicial process in regular criminal courts more efficient and transparent, ensuring justice for crimes committed during the July-August uprising that changed a fascist system run the then Awami League government.
After the fall of Hasina-led government, she along with her younger sister fled to India to save lives. Now Sheikh Hasina is facing multiple cases including culpable homicide.
The Interim Government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus has already sent letter to Delhi to extradite Sheikh Hasina to face the trial at the ICT.
The Indian government, however, has not sent any reply to the letter.
Meanwhile, the hearing on the Sheikh Hasina case has been continuing in her absence. When the trial is on, Sheikh sometimes makes various comments about Bangladesh.
The Interim Government has also told India to stop Sheikh Hasina to make any comment about the matters in Bangladesh because it destablise the situation.
India, however, said that they have no such information that she is making comments.