The office of the Chief Prosecutor at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has condemned actions by Nurul Haque Nur, a factional president of Gono Odhikar Parishad, calling “conspiratorial.” 

Earlier, Nur allegedly attempted to enter the ICT premises with his supporters and accused the Chief Prosecutor of holding secret meetings with the Awami League and Jatiya Party.

According to a press release issued on Thursday (Nov 14) evening by ICT’s Chief Prosecutor’s administrative officer Md Masud Rana, Nurul Haque Nur led a group of supporters to the main gate of the tribunal around 5 p.m. After being denied entry by security personnel, Nur held a press conference outside the gate, accusing Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam of attending covert meetings with political parties.

The release said, “At around 5 p.m., Gono Odhikar Parishad’s Nurul Haque Nur, along with supporters and outsiders, marched from the Supreme Court premises, chanting provocative slogans. They attempted to forcefully enter through the main gate of the ICT.” 

“Nur’s accusations against the Chief Prosecutor were “baseless, fabricated, and inflammatory,” intended to mislead the public, the release further added.

The statement by ICT also emphasized that these “false allegations” spread quickly on electronic and print media, as well as on social media, tarnishing the reputation of the tribunal and the Chief Prosecutor. 

“The actions of Nurul Haque Nur and his associates are not only unlawful but appear to be a deliberate conspiracy aimed at undermining the tribunal and obstructing the justice process for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” it read.

ICT office stated that such actions are “unacceptable” in the context of justice for thousands of victims of crimes committed during the July-August genocide. The release warned that if Nur does not retract his “false, malicious” statements and issue a formal apology, the ICT’s Chief Prosecutor’s office will pursue legal action against him.

BDST: 2126 HRS, NOV 14, 2024
MSK