Toby Cadman’s term as ICT special adviser not renewed: Chief prosecutor

The tenure of British lawyer Toby Cadman as special adviser to the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has not been renewed, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said today (19 January).

Speaking to reporters at his office on the ICT premises, Tajul Islam said Cadman was appointed as special adviser on 19 November 2024 for a one-year term that ends on 19 November 2025.

However, British human rights activist and investigative journalist David Bergman, in a Facebook post this afternoon, said that Toby Cadman has resigned from the post. 

According to Bergman, Cadman has informed Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of his decision, though no specific reason for the resignation has been disclosed so far. 

Explaining the government’s position, Tajul Islam said the authorities had initially considered extending Cadman’s tenure and that Cadman himself had sought an extension. 

“But the law ministry later decided that as the current government’s term is nearing its end, no new agreement would be signed at this time,” he said.

Toby Cadman is joint head of the London-based law firm Guernica 37. During earlier proceedings at the ICT over crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War, Cadman had sought to come to Bangladesh as defence counsel for the accused but was barred at the time.

He arrived in Bangladesh following the fall of the Awami League government in a mass uprising on 5 August 2024 and was subsequently appointed special adviser to the ICT chief prosecutor.