Law ministry seeks review of ICT relocation order

The law ministry yesterday requested the Supreme Court to review its directive that asked the ministry to relocate the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) from its [SC] old High Court building.

The SC on August 18 had sent a letter to the law ministry asking it to relocate the ICT from its old High Court building and to hand over its possession by October 31 [today].

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As the SC now lacks adequate accommodation capacity for its judges and other staff, it needs the space, said the letter signed by Abu Syed Diljar Hussain, registrar of the SC's High Court Division.

The law ministry yesterday sent a letter to the SC's registrar general, saying that the old High Court building was a traditional and historical structure. This building was constructed as an official residence of the then governors of East Bengal and Asam provinces and then it was turned to the High Court of the then East Pakistan.

The present government has decided to hold trial of the crimes against humanity and peace, and war crimes including genocides and rapes committed during the country's Liberation War in 1971.

The government has been using the building as ICT as it did not get a safe structure at any other place.

In the letter, the law ministry said a part of the building was being used as office of the Law Commission and Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission in 2009 and then the building was not well maintained.

Then a safe place was being found for establishing the ICT, it said, adding that considering the aspect of security and the building as safest place, the ICT was set up there.

Since then, the trial proceedings started there and trials of many notorious war criminals were held there and that is why the tradition of the building has increased.

The ministry said people of the country want that the building's dignity be upheld and protected and not to relocate the ICT.