The government has established a second International Crimes Tribunal to expedite ongoing trials and address the increasing number of cases filed over atrocities committed during the July mass uprising, said a gazette issued last night.

The law ministry appointed former High Court Division Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury as the chair of the ICT-2 and named former district and sessions judge Manjurul Bashid and current Madaripur District and Sessions Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir as its members.

Meanwhile, Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam wrote on Facebook that the government was going to incorporate a new provision into a law to try the Awami League as a party.

"Trial of fascist [Awami] League must be held. Tribunal-2 is being formed to expedite the trial proceedings," he wrote on his verified page.

The development comes around seven months after the formation of the first tribunal.

Currently, 22 cases are pending with the ICT and 339 complaints have already been filed with the ICT investigation agency over the July atrocities.

The ICT-1 was originally formed in March 2010 by the Awami League government to try the perpetrators of the crimes committed during the Liberation War in 1971. Later the then government formed ICT-2 in 2012.

LEGAL PROVISION TO TRY AL

The interim government in its first draft for the amendment to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act-1973 included a provision to allow the trial of organisations.

The draft kept a provision that allows the banning of a political party for up to 10 years for committing crimes against humanity and genocide.

But the provision was not incorporated in the draft approved by the advisory council.

However, Adviser Mahfuj Alam yesterday said the provision would be incorporated to try the AL.

Late last night, Hasnat Abdullah, chief coordinator (south) of the National Citizen Party (NCP), led a group of protesters to Hare Road and began demonstrating in front of Jamuna, the residence of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus.

He wrote on Facebook that the protesters would not leave until there is a roadmap on how "the Awami League will be brought to justice, and its political activities will be banned.

This is the first time the NCP has demonstrated against the chief adviser.

NCP Convener Nahid Islam wrote on Facebook: "We are seeing that there is a lot of dilly-dallying regarding the trial of Awami League. No decision has been made regarding the banning of AL and the cancellation of its registration as a political party. Those accused are being granted bail. The president of an illegal fascist government has been allowed to escape before our eyes."

He added that the party could not trust the government on the question of justice.

"One of our July [uprising] commitments is the trial of the murderers. Another is that Mujibbadis will never be able to do politics on this soil again. The fate of the Awami League has to be decided tonight.

At the demonstration, protesters chanted slogans demanding the ban of Awami League and justice for the victims. Nahid joined the demo early today.

At 10:44pm, local government Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain wrote on Facebook that AL's affiliated organisations Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League would be banned.

The process began about a week ago and the formalities have been done, he wrote.

"The ban and political eradication of the genocidal Awami League and its affiliated organisations is a pledge of the July mass uprising."

2ND TRIBUNAL

Families of the people who were killed or severely injured during the protests that toppled the AL regime in early August last year have often expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in the investigation and the trial proceedings.

Prosecutors sought to form a second trial and different political parties also expressed similar demands.

According to the law ministry gazette issued last night, the ICT-2 has been formed considering the increasing number of complaints and accused individuals and the need for quick disposal of cases.

Justice Nozrul retired from the High Court Division in December 2015 and began appearing in the Appellate Division to move cases as a lawyer in January 2016.

He represented Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali at the appeal hearing at the Supreme Court. Quasem was convicted of crimes against humanity and executed.

Justice Nozrul, however, stepped down from the defence team of Quasem, citing "a seriously adverse environment".