ICT Act requires revision for July-August massacre trials: Tajul

Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Tajul Islam has said that amendments to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Act are necessary to facilitate the trial of those responsible for the July-August massacre.

Tajul shared his views with reporters at the Supreme Court premises on Sunday (September 1).

He emphasised that international concerns have previously been raised regarding the ICT’s trials for crimes against humanity. 

"To avoid any future doubts about who may be tried by this tribunal, it is crucial to introduce the necessary amendments to the law," said Tajul, who had served as a lawyer for leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami during their trials at the ICT.

Tajul argued that under the current legal framework, it is impossible to prosecute those involved in the July-August massacre. "The trial has to take place at the International Crimes Tribunal, but for that, the law needs to be amended," he insisted.

However, another lawyer who also represented Jamaat leaders, Gazi MH Tamim, disagreed. 

Tamim maintained that the current ICT Act is sufficient for conducting fair July-August massacre trials and that amendments are unnecessary. Instead, he called for the appointment of honest and competent judges to the tribunal to ensure justice.