Jamaat brands past war trials as ‘Judicial Executions’
Staff Reporter :
ATM Azharul Islam, a senior leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has denounced the previous war crimes judicial process as a series of “judicial killings” following his acquittal by the Supreme Court. His comments came during a reception organised by his party shortly after his release on Wednesday morning, ending nearly 13 years of incarceration. Azharul, who was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in 2014 for alleged crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, walked free from the prison ward of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital at approximately 9:05 a.m., according to prison officials. His release followed a landmark Supreme Court ruling the day before, which overturned his conviction-a first since the fall of the Awami League-led government on 5 August 2024.
Addressing supporters at a makeshift stage near Shahbagh, Azharul expressed gratitude and hailed the acquittal as a “restoration of justice.”
“I am now free-a free citizen in a free country,” he said. “For so long, justice was absent. The courts were manipulated to serve political ends. I hope the judiciary will now truly reflect the hopes and rights of the people.”
Azharul alleged that the earlier convictions and executions of Jamaat leaders-including Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah, and Mir Quasem Ali-were politically motivated.
“Those were not trials, they were judicial killings,” he declared. “Everyone involved at any level in those miscarriages of justice must be held accountable. Otherwise, this dangerous precedent will continue to threaten the rule of law.”
Jamaat-e-Islami, heavily marginalised under the previous administration, has been seeking to reassert its political presence in the wake of last year’s transition. Party Ameer Shafiqur Rahman welcomed Azharul with floral garlands and described the acquittal as a “triumph of truth over tyranny.”
“For 14 years, our brother lived under the shadow of death,” said Rahman. “But Allah preserved him. The fall of the oppressive regime and this acquittal are outcomes of the people’s perseverance and divine justice.”
Rahman added that the party would now move forward with renewed resolve. “The 180 million oppressed people of this country have spoken. We will march together for justice and resist all conspiracies with unity.”
Azharul extended thanks to his legal team, supporters, and the student movement that, he said, played a key role in bringing about political change. He also expressed gratitude to what he referred to as the “revolutionary heroes of 5 August,” and acknowledged the military, though without further detail.
Azharul was arrested in August 2012 and later convicted on five of nine charges, including mass killings, rape, and arson in the Rangpur region during the 1971 war. His death sentence, initially upheld by the Appellate Division in 2019, was overturned earlier this month following a final review petition and hearing before a seven-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed.
The Supreme Court’s full verdict and reasoning have yet to be published. Legal analysts anticipate that the ruling may have profound implications for the legacy of the ICT and the country’s broader political and judicial landscape.