Former brigadier general Abdullahil Amaan Azmi on Wednesday described October 22, 2025, as a historic day in global judicial and political history, saying Bangladesh had set a new precedent by proving that no one is above the law.
In a Facebook post, Azmi praised the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) for sending 15 serving army officers to jail in three cases of crimes against humanity鈥攖wo related to enforced disappearances during the former Awami League regime and another involving the July 2024 uprising.
Azmi, himself a victim of enforced disappearance during the Awami League government, said the move demonstrated that 鈥榩ower and weapons cannot shield anyone from justice indefinitely.鈥�
鈥楩or the first time in global history, a group of military officers鈥攊ncluding 15 currently serving members of the armed forces鈥攈ave been indicted and brought before a civilian court on charges of crimes against humanity,鈥� he stated.
He termed the tribunal鈥檚 action a bold step toward ending the culture of impunity that has long undermined justice systems, adding that more accused individuals are expected to face trial in the coming days.
Azmi, son of the late Ghulam Azam, former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami who was convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for his role in the 1971 Liberation War, also stressed the importance of fair trials, saying that while all criminals must face justice, 鈥渘o one should fall victim to injustice in the process.鈥�
He expressed appreciation for Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, the judges of the tribunal, Prosecutor Advocate Tajul Islam and his team, as well as Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman for their cooperation in ensuring the tribunal鈥檚 independent and lawful functioning.
Azmi was abducted on August 22, 2016, by around 30 plainclothes men identifying themselves as members of the Detective Branch of police, according to his family. His whereabouts remained unknown until the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, 2024, amid a mass student-led uprising.
He was released the following day, on August 6, from a secret detention centre widely known as Aynaghar.