Change in law in Jan to try Jamaat
A bill amending the ICT law to let the tribunals try and punish organisations for war crimes is likely to be passed in parliament in January, said Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday.
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has termed Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposed Bangladesh's birth during the 1971 Liberation War, a “criminal organisation” for its role in the war.
The minister yesterday said the proposal to amend the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973 would be placed before the cabinet either this month or in the first week of January for approval.
Later, the bill would be placed in parliament for passage, he added.
Anisul was talking to reporters after inaugurating a programme organised by Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital.
In the wake of pressure from justice seekers for trying Jamaat, the government in February last year amended the ICT Act, paving the way for trying organisations for war crimes.
The law, however, lacked specific provisions for punishing the guilty organisations, which was considered a major obstacle to try Jamaat.
The minister in May had said it was not possible to try any war criminal organisation, as there was no specific rule over punishing such organisations. In June, the government drafted an amendment to the act with a provision of banning those.
On a different note, Anisul yesterday said the government was working to formulate a law, determining the procedures for removal of any Supreme Court judge for incapacity or misconduct.
In September, the parliament amended the constitution empowering the House to remove the SC judges.
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