Jamaat hails tribunal verdict as ‘international standard’

Bangla Press Desk:  Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has described the verdict delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal as meeting “international standards.” 

The judgment, linked to charges of crimes against humanity for the July–August 2024 massacres, brought “a measure of solace” to affected families, the party said.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Moghbazar office on Monday afternoon, Jamaat Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar said, “No verdict can fully compensate the families who lost their loved ones, but today’s judgment has brought some comfort to their hearts because they have finally seen justice being served.”

Senior leaders present included Assistant Secretary Generals Maulana ATM Masum, Dr HM Hamidur Rahman Azad and Maulana Abdul Halim, Central Executive Council member Mobarak Hossain, and Jamaat’s Dhaka North Ameer Selim Uddin.

Parwar said the day marked a “significant milestone” in the country’s political and judicial history, as Bangladesh witnessed for the first time the maximum punishment handed down to a former head of government. He noted that the tribunal judges had meticulously read out extensive evidence—including newspaper reports, audio and video recordings, and telephone conversations—establishing the cruelty and vindictiveness of the crimes.

“We believe there is no scope for anyone to question this trial,” he added. “It was transparent, impartial, and of international standard.”

Referring to other incidents such as the Pilkhana killings and Shapla Chattar crackdown, Parwar said further trials remain ahead. “This is the first verdict,” he said. “We believe all future trials must also be fair and transparent. The families who lost fathers, husbands and children may never be fully compensated, but today they have seen justice. This verdict proves that no state leader, no matter how powerful, is above the law.”

BP/TD