On his final day, prosecutor accuses Tajul of corruption, Tajul calls claims ‘false’

On the day of his removal as chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Mohammad Tajul Islam faced allegations of corruption and irregularities from fellow prosecutor BM Sultan Mahmud.

He alleged that a syndicate led by Tajul had turned the “chair of the chief prosecutor” into a tool for making money.

On Monday, a Facebook post titled “Settlement trading and approver drama at the tribunal: Why must Tajul Islam step down?” was published from an account named Kazi Mostafizur Rahman Ahad. Prosecutor Sultan Mahmud made two comments under the post, accusing Tajul Islam and prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim of corruption.

Sultan Mahmud also questioned the decision to make former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and former sub-inspector of Ashulia police station Sheikh Abzalul Haque approvers (state witnesses).

He alleged that in the crimes against humanity case over the killing of Abu Sayed in Rangpur, one police officer was discharged, while in the Chankharpul case, a police officer who allegedly gave the order to open fire was made a witness instead of being made an accused.

Speaking to Prothom Alo by phone at night, Sultan Mahmud said he had made the remarks in response to the Facebook post earlier in the morning and claimed he had evidence to support his statements. Tajul Islam, however, denied the allegations.

In one comment, Sultan Mahmud wrote that in late November last year, the wife of SI Abzalul Haque, an accused in the Ashulia case involving the burning of bodies, entered prosecutor Tamim’s room in the evening carrying a heavy bag. He said that after witnessing this, he informed Tajul Islam. According to him, instead of taking action, Tajul rebuked them.

He further wrote that Tamim had publicly acknowledged that the wife of SI Abzalul had visited his room. Later, Abzalul was made an approver and was acquitted in the verdict.

The verdict in that crimes against humanity case, involving the burning of six bodies and the killing of seven people in Ashulia during the July uprising, was delivered on 5 February. Six people were sentenced to death, seven to life imprisonment and two to seven years’ imprisonment. In the same case, former SI Sheikh Abzalul Haque was granted pardon as an approver.

Sultan Mahmud also wrote that despite the emergence of a video showing SI Ashraful allegedly giving instructions to fire in the Chankharpul case, he was made a witness instead of an accused. “I have that video,” he claimed.

He questioned why assistant commissioner Imran was discharged in the Abu Sayed case in Rangpur, noting that several witnesses had mentioned his name in court. He also asked why former IGP Abdullah Al-Mamun was made an approver.

In a separate crimes against humanity case related to the July uprising, Tribunal-1 sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death on 17 November last year. In that same verdict, former IGP Abdullah Al-Mamun, as an approver, was sentenced to five years in prison.

In another comment, Sultan Mahmud alleged that not only IGP Mamun but also Abzalul in the Ashulia case had been made an approver in exchange for money and granted immunity.

He claimed that a three-to-four-member syndicate had been involved from the outset and accused the “Tajul syndicate” of turning the chief prosecutor’s office into a means of earning money.

After his appointment was cancelled, Tajul Islam spoke to journalists at the tribunal premises on Monday afternoon. When asked about the allegations raised by Sultan Mahmud, Tajul, standing beside prosecutor Tamim, who did not speak, said, “We are not taking into account who is making what allegation out of personal resentment. We have no comment on that.”

When pressed specifically about the allegation that SI Abzalul’s wife had visited Tamim’s room with a heavy bag and that Tajul had been informed, he replied, “No, I am not aware of this.”

He added, “We have looked into such allegations and found them to be completely false. If someone makes such statements out of personal vendetta, it is very unfortunate. Everything that has taken place in the tribunal’s judicial process has been transparent and established through the court.

If at this moment someone brings false allegations with dishonest intent, the people of Bangladesh and the media are witnesses to how transparent the proceedings have been. We do not consider such remarks, whether made knowingly or unknowingly out of personal grievances, to be worthy of attention.”

The government has appointed Md Aminul Islam as the new chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal. After assuming office on Monday, he briefed journalists at the tribunal premises.

Asked about the allegations raised by Sultan Mahmud against members of the prosecution, Aminul Islam said, “I think it would be better not to raise such matters with me today. Please excuse me for today. I am your guest on my first day. I do not wish to take up these issues right now. If such matters arise, they will certainly come to me, and then they can be looked into. Let us not discuss these questions today.”