250 missing during AL rule preliminarily found abducted by law enforcers: Chief prosecutor

The International Crimes Tribunal has found preliminary evidence that around 250 people who went missing during the Awami League’s long rule were abducted by law enforcement agencies, with the cases classified as crimes against humanity, Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said today (25 August).

He made the remarks while answering journalists at a press conference at his office today.

Aminul said families of around 250 missing people had submitted complaints to the tribunal and investigators had established the preliminary truth of the allegations. None of the victims has yet been traced, he said, adding that investigators had confirmed their abductions by law enforcement agencies.

Investigators are recording statements from family members and have identified locations from where the victims were allegedly abducted. As each case is being investigated separately, the process is taking time, he said.

Aminul said cases involving people who remain missing are being treated as continuing crimes and the disappearances have been classified as crimes against humanity. 

“We do not want to see whether a victim was from a Jamaat-e-Islami family or a BNP family. We will prioritise the crime as a crime and bring the actual perpetrators to justice,” he said.

Three enforced disappearance cases are currently on trial and at the witness examination stage, involving victims including Abdullahil Aman Azmi and Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman. 

Aminul said this would not prevent cases involving BNP victims, including BNP leader Elias Ali and Suman, from being tried under the same standards.

A five-member investigation team is now handling the cases, with prosecutors, including the chief prosecutor, coordinating the work. Aminul said visible results would emerge soon and justice would be ensured for victims’ families.

Earlier on the day, several families, led by Sanjida Islam Tuli, coordinator of the victims’ platform Mayer Daak, met Aminul. They urged the tribunal to investigate and prosecute the disappearance cases without political considerations and sought updates on their progress.