Bangladesh will try murder cases filed over the July uprising in Speedy Trial Tribunals, with prosecutions to be overseen by a special monitoring panel led by an additional secretary of the Law and Justice Division.

Ministry of Law issued a press release on Monday (October 20) in this regard. 

Cases already before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) are excluded from the transfer. 

The ministry said 837 cases alleging killings during the nationwide student-led protests have been recorded. 

Of these, 45 are being heard at the ICT, while police have submitted charge sheets in 19 murder cases in criminal courts. Those murder cases will be sent to Speedy Trial Tribunals under Section 10 of the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act, 2002, for expedited proceedings. 

The committee’s mandate includes compiling a complete list of relevant cases with their current status; identifying obstacles to effective prosecution (excluding matters sub-judice at the ICT) and recommending remedies to the government; and periodically informing victims’ families and the public about progress. 

Authorities have indicated in recent briefings that tribunal capacity may be augmented to accelerate adjudication of July-related offences, alongside the committee’s work to streamline prosecutions. 

SMS/