The Chief Prosecutor's Office of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) yesterday announced that investigations into four major cases of crimes against humanity, committed during the July uprising, are either completed or nearing completion.

The cases include the burning of six bodies in Ashulia, the killing of seven protesters in the Chakharpool area, the shooting of an unarmed youth named Amir Hossain in Rampura while he was reportedly hanging from a building's ledge, and a case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina for alleged command responsibility.

During a views-exchange meeting with journalists at the chief prosecutor's office, prosecutors said final investigation reports for these cases may soon be submitted to the tribunal.

"After the tribunal accepts the reports, the formal trial will begin," said prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim.

So far, 339 complaints have been filed with the Chief Prosecutor's Office, of which 39 are under investigation.

A total of 22 cases have been lodged with the tribunal, accusing 141 individuals. Among them, 54 are in custody, while 87 remain at large.

Of the accused, 70 are civilians, 62 are members of law enforcement agencies including police, and nine are retired or dismissed military officers, Tamim added.

In a written presentation, prosecutors said the evidence-collection process is being delayed due to the non-cooperation of officials and staff loyal to the previous government who remain in the administration.

They also noted a severe shortage of experienced and reliable investigators in crimes against humanity cases, with a small number currently handling the workload.

Prosecutors said they have already visited 20 districts -- some multiple times -- to collect evidence.

The ICT prosecution team currently has 17 prosecutors, including three who joined last month, while the Investigation Agency has 24 investigators, with seven joining this month.

Several accused individuals have reportedly fled the country despite arrest warrants. Authorities said efforts to bring them back are ongoing through legal and diplomatic channels, though the process is time-consuming. They are also facing difficulties in detaining the accused who are on the run, added the prosecutors.

Prosecutors also reported that crucial evidence has been destroyed -- including deleted videos and audio recordings, burned or hidden documents from hospitals and other key locations, and erased digital data -- though some of it has been recovered.

Additionally, fugitive suspects are allegedly investing large sums of money to obstruct investigations and even attempting bomb attacks on investigators.

Some individuals linked to the previous administration are said to be hiring international lobbyists and spreading disinformation on social media to derail the trial process.

Despite these challenges, over 1,000 eyewitness testimonies have been collected so far, and investigators continue to analyse hours of video and audio footage related to the July uprising.

"We are doing everything in our power to ensure a fair trial, based on digital evidence and in line with international standards," said Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam.

In a significant development, several amendments have been made to the ICT Act of 1973. These include -- authorisation to bring charges against members of the army, navy, air force, Rab, BGB, and intelligence agencies; provision to compensate victims using confiscated assets of the accused; power for investigators to seize documents without prior tribunal approval; and authority for the tribunal to confiscate the accused's wealth to prevent escape and ensure justice.

The chief prosecutor said these amendments are in the final phase and are expected to come into effect within a week.