The Office of the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs, seeking implementation of the tribunal’s order to confiscate the properties of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who were sentenced for crimes against humanity during the July Uprising.
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam disclosed the development while speaking to journalists at his office today (3 November).
He said the office would request the ministry to arrange the sale of the confiscated properties and distribute the proceeds among the families of those killed during the July uprising.
A memorandum sent to the senior secretary of the Home Ministry regarding Sheikh Hasina says ICT-1, in ICT-BD Case No 02/2025, sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity on 17 November 2025. The tribunal also ordered the confiscation of all her properties and their distribution as compensation to the families of those killed and victims of the July Uprising.
The memorandum urged the ministry to take the necessary steps to implement the order.
It warned that unless Hasina’s movable and immovable assets were immediately brought under government control, she could use, sell or transfer them at any time, potentially rendering the tribunal’s confiscation order ineffective.
The prosecution therefore requested the preparation of a comprehensive list of all her movable and immovable properties and that they be brought under state control.
It also urged the ministry to take steps to distribute the assets in accordance with the tribunal’s order as compensation for the families of those killed and other victims of the July 2024 uprising.
A similar memorandum has been sent to implement the order to confiscate the properties of Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
Speaking to reporters, Aminul said no appeal had been filed on Hasina’s behalf within the stipulated 30-day period. The prosecution, therefore, believes there is no legal obstacle to implementing the order to confiscate her properties.
Asked whether any appeal had been filed on Hasina’s behalf, he said, “An appeal filed by one person does not cover another party. No appeal has been filed on behalf of Sheikh Hasina.”
The chief prosecutor said the tribunal had also ordered the confiscation of properties belonging to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and several others. After scrutiny, the prosecution had identified around 11 to 12 people whose properties were subject to confiscation orders, he added.
On 17 November last year, the ICT sentenced Hasina and then home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a crimes against humanity case over the crackdown on the July Uprising.
In its verdict, the tribunal ordered that the properties of Hasina and Kamal located in Bangladesh be confiscated in favour of the state.
The court also directed the government to provide “substantial” compensation to protesters killed in the July uprising who were linked to the case.
No further appeal opportunity for Hasina
Explaining why the prosecution considers the confiscation order enforceable, Aminul referred to Section 21 of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, which sets the deadline for appeals against tribunal verdicts.
He said subsections 21(1) and 21(2) allow both the government and the accused 30 days to appeal, while subsection 21(3) states that no appeal can be filed after that period expires.
Asked whether an accused could still appeal by seeking condonation of delay, Aminul said the prosecution’s position was that the Limitation Act would not apply because the tribunal law is a special law.
“We believe that since this is a special law, there is no scope for condonation of delay under that special law. The Limitation Act does not apply,” he said.
“Once the 30 days have elapsed, there is no legal obstacle to implementing the other parts of the verdict. The sentence will be executed when the accused is arrested,” he added.
Asked about instances in which the Appellate Division had accepted appeals even after the deadline, Aminul said no such time-barred appeal had yet been disposed of.
He said the prosecution would also raise the issue of the expired deadline in connection with an appeal currently pending before the Appellate Division.
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