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International Crimes Tribunal chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam and law adviser Asif Nazrul, among others, on Saturday said that the trials of the prime accused in the cases of enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings and July-August uprising mass killings would be held within next one year.

The interim government had three priority issues—trial, reforms and election, they said, noting that trial of the killers topped that list.

Their statement came on the second day of a two-day dialogue titled ‘From enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings to July mass killing: challenges of trial’ organised by the Forum for Bangladesh Studies at the Krishibid Institution at Farmgate in Dhaka city.

‘We expect that we will complete the trial of the prime accused in the International Crimes Tribunal in next one year,’ said the tribunal’s chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam while addressing the dialogue.

He said that their prime focus was to ensure the trial of the incidents of enforced disappearance and crimes against humanity and bring to justice the masterminds who ordered these crimes holding the state’s top posts.

He also said that they wanted the trials to follow the international standard so that they set an example.

Law adviser Asif Nazrul said that they would celebrate the next Victory Day with the verdict of July mass killings trials in the court.

He pointed out four major atrocities allegedly committed during the Awami League regime—Hefazat killings, BDR carnage, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killings.

‘We are committed to ensure trials of these crimes,’ he said.

He also said that people’s expectation management was the main challenge for the interim government towards fulfilling its commitment.

Stressing importance on unity, Asif Nazrul warned that unity must not be broken despite differences in opinions.

‘Reforms cannot be held without unity,’ said Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, adding that the main challenge was to keep the unity alive. 

‘People from all walks of life took part in the July uprising against the Awami League regime,’ he said.

Supreme Court lawyer Tasnuva Shelley said that the trial of July mass killings would be based on digital evidence.

‘We require digital forensic laboratory and digital experts to crosscheck evidence. Many people are creating digital evidence through artificial intelligence, which is a concern for us,’ Tasnuva added.  

Sanjida Islam Tulee, coordinator of Mayeer Daak, a platform for families of the victims of enforced disappearance, said that although the police and Rapid Action Battalion had admitted their crimes, Bangladesh Army and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence had yet to admit their involvement.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson’s advisory council member Zahir Uddin Swapan questioned how the interim government would use the state machinery that opened fire against students taking side of the fascist regime.

BNP student organisation Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal organising secretary Kazi Saiful alleged that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism and Transitional Crimes unit in reality turned into a unit of Chhatra League, the student organisation of Awami League. 

‘We haven’t yet seen anyone from the CTTC has been brought to book,’ he said.

Bangladesh Revolutionary Workers’ Party general secretary Saiful Haque, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami publicity secretary Matiur Rahmman Akanda, Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir secretary general Jahidul Islam and Student Movement Against Discrimination executive committee member Zahid Ahsan, among others, spoke at the dialogue.