A prosecutor at Bangladesh’s International Crime Tribunal (ICT) has accused the outgoing Chief Prosecutor, Mohammad Tajul Islam, of corruption and irregularities. The prosecutor alleged that Tajul had turned the position of Chief Prosecutor into a money-making tool through a syndicate. The accusations included claims of money exchanges and questionable handling of high-profile cases.
In a social media post, Prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud leveled allegations against Tajul and another prosecutor, Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim. The post detailed an incident involving the wife of an accused in a case, highlighting suspicions of impropriety. Sultan claimed that despite raising concerns to Tajul, no action was taken, and they were reprimanded instead.
Sultan also expressed concerns about the handling of certain cases, including one where law enforcers allegedly opened fire on protesters. He questioned the decision to make certain individuals state witnesses instead of charging them as accused. The prosecutor further alleged that key figures were turned into state witnesses without proper justification, raising questions about the integrity of the legal process.
Responding to the accusations, Tajul dismissed them as personal allegations, stating that they were baseless and fueled by personal malice. Meanwhile, Md Aminul Islam has taken over as the new Chief Prosecutor at the ICT, succeeding Tajul. Tajul’s tenure had been marked by controversies and global scrutiny over procedural lapses and contentious rulings in various cases.
