The Investigation Agency of the International Crimes Tribunal is set to begin investigating a complaint filed in October 2024 seeking a probe into alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Awami League during the July 2024 mass uprising.
Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam confirmed the information to reporters in response to a query on Sunday at the tribunal premises.
He said that the tribunal鈥檚 investigation agency is currently reviewing the complaint, which accuses the Awami League of involvement in widespread, systemic, and targeted atrocities on July protesters across the country.
鈥楾he Office of the Chief Prosecutor has received a complaint from the Nationalist Democratic Movement,鈥� Tazul said.
鈥榃e are treating the matter seriously and preparing to launch a preliminary investigation into the allegations made against the Awami League as a political party,鈥� he added.
If the Awami League is聽 found guilty of committing crimes against humanity through its trial, the tribunal can ban the Awami League, suspend its activities or registration, and confiscate its properties, according to Section 20B of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
The complaint, filed by NDM chair Bobby Hajjaj on October 2, 2024, is the first such petition against the Awami League and its allies for alleged crimes against humanity during the student-led mass uprising.
According to Article 20B of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, 鈥楴otwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law for the time being in force, if it appears to the Tribunal that any organisation has committed, ordered, attempted, aided, incited, abetted, conspired, facilitated or otherwise assisted the commission of any of the crimes under sub-section (2) of section 3 of this Act, the Tribunal shall have the power to suspend or prohibit its activities, ban the organisation, suspend or cancel its registration or licence, and confiscate its property.鈥�
On May 12, 2025, the interim government imposed a ban on all activities of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations through a gazette notification.
The ban, issued by the Public Security Division of the home ministry, prohibits all forms of publication, media or social media campaigns, processions, meetings, rallies, and conferences by the party and its associates until the trials of its leaders and activists before the ICT are concluded.
The ICT prosecution on Sunday filed formal charges against AL joint general secretary and former lawmaker Mahbubul Alam Hanif and three other party leaders for their alleged involvement in the killing of six protesters during the July 2024 uprising in Kushtia.
The other accused are Kushtia district AL president Md Sadar Uddin Khan, general secretary Md Ali Asgar Ali, and Kushtia town AL general secretary Ataur Rahman Ata.
Hanif is the first Awami League leader charged with crimes against humanity, making it the seventh such case now pending before the two International Crimes Tribunals reconstituted in September 2024 under the interim government of Professor Muhammad Yunus to try offences since the 2024 uprising.
On September 25, ICT-2 received eight counts of similar charges against detained Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasod) president Hasanul Haq Inu 鈥� a key AL political ally 鈥� for his alleged command responsibility in the violent crackdown on protesters in Kushtia and other areas.
Those charges also cover the killing of six protesters.
Deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun are also facing crimes against humanity charges for their superior command responsibilities, which led to country-wide systematic and targeted crimes during the July 2024 mass uprising.
Their trial is now in its final stage, with only one step remaining before the verdict following the completion of arguments, which are expected to be held this week.
As of August 3, 2025, prisons are holding 165 high-profile individuals accused in connection with the July鈥揂ugust cases, according to the Department of Prisons.
The 36-day crackdown 鈥� from July 1 to August 5, 2024, when prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted 鈥� left more than 1,400 people dead and over 25,000 injured.
Many of the injured were left blind or permanently disabled, the prosecution said.
The victims included women and children.
