Prima facie involvement of the Awami League as an organisation has been found in crimes against humanity committed during the July movement, International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam has said.
"The investigation began because there is prima facie involvement of the Awami League in the crimes. Our investigation agency is working. The prima facie involvement is already there, and completing the investigation is now a matter of time," he told reporters at his office at the tribunal today (7 July).
The chief prosecutor said the Awami League was involved as a political party in the July mass uprising.
"Individual liability and superior responsibility are also involved. The investigation is continuing into all these issues," he said.
Responding to a question about the nature of the prima facie involvement, Aminul said, "There is the party's organisational involvement in the July movement. There is individual liability and superior responsibility. Our investigation is progressing on these issues."
Earlier on Sunday, Aminul briefed reporters at his office and said an investigation was underway to prosecute the Awami League as an organisation under the International Crimes Tribunal Act.
He said that if the allegations are proved, there are legal provisions to ban the party and confiscate its assets.
During the interim government's tenure, the Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) filed allegations of crimes against humanity against the Awami League as a political party.
The NDM was founded by State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj.
During the election, he left the NDM and contested as a BNP candidate, winning a parliamentary seat.
He was later appointed a state minister in the BNP government.
On 4 July, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said at the July National Conference, organised at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre in the capital in memory of those killed during the July mass uprising, that the Awami League had suffered political defeat, destruction and elimination and would never again be able to participate in politics in Bangladesh.
He further said demands had been raised to prosecute the Awami League as a political party, an investigation was underway, and the party would soon be brought to justice under the law.
The day after the home minister's remarks, the chief prosecutor gave reporters a detailed explanation of the progress of the investigation and the existing framework.
Crimes against humanity / Awami League / Chief prosecutor
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