DHAKA: Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque on Sunday said amendment to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 would be placed before the parliament in the next session with a view to trying political parties for their involved in war crimes during liberation war in 1971.

The law minister made the disclosure while talking to journalists after inaugurating a workshop of training of trainers (TOT) on arbitration in Bangladesh at a city hotel on Sunday morning.

Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre (BIAC) in association with Washington-based International Law Institute organized the function.

Anisul told the journalists that the next session will begin with the President’s address in January. “The proposed amendment to the act will be placed then,” he said.

He added: “Trial of political parties, which were involved in accused in crimes against humanity, including Jamaat-e-Islami and its all wings, will be brought under trial in line with the amended law.”

Anisul said other organizations those had collaboration with the Pakistani army during the 1971 Liberation War will also be tried under the law.

Asked on the judge impeachment bill---the Constitution (Sixteenth Amendment) Bill 2014 – he said that the bill would be passed after discussion with Bangladesh Bar Council and people concerned of the Supreme Court.

The minister, in his speech as chief guest, said arbitration is being used in almost all countries of the world for settling disputes outside the court system.
Speakers, at the training program, also said arbitration is playing a vital role to reduce number of pending cases. First end of this year, more than four million cases are pending for the settlement in the courts of Bangladesh.

BIAC council chairman Mahbubur Rahman, Chief Executive Dr Toufiq Ali and Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president Rokia Afzal Rahman were among others present at the function.

BDST: 1637 HRS, DEC 07, 2014