Audio of prosecutor demanding Tk 10m is ‘genuine’: Fact-finding committee
An audio recording in which a prosecutor allegedly demands Tk 10 million (one crore) from a family to secure bail for an accused in a crimes against humanity case related to the July mass uprising has been confirmed as “genuine” by a fact-finding committee, formed by the office of the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal.
Md Aminul Islam, head of the committee and Chief Prosecutor of the tribunal, confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo on Tuesday evening. However, the five-member committee has not yet submitted its report and continues its investigation.
Following a joint investigative report published on 10 March by Prothom Alo and Netra News, the office of the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal established this fact-finding committee.
The audio recording captures a conversation in which then prosecutor Md Saimum Reza Talukder allegedly asks a family member of former member of parliament ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury for Tk 10 million (one crore) in exchange for securing bail.
ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury had been arrested in connection with a crimes against humanity case relating to incidents in Chattogram during the July mass uprising.
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam stated that they had identified the voices in the conversation as belonging to a member of Chowdhury’s family and Saimum Reza Talukder.
He said, “We have detected that the voice is genuine. The conversation took place between them. It is not AI, it is genuine.”
He further added, “We have not found anything beyond this so far.”
While serving as prosecutor, Md Saimum Reza Talukder had communicated with a relative of Fazle Karim Chowdhury. He resigned from the tribunal on 9 March, one day before the publication of the report in Prothom Alo.
By profession, Saimum Reza was an academic and had taught at a private university.
He was appointed as a prosecutor when the interim government reconstituted the International Crimes Tribunal to try killings committed during the July uprising.
According to the family of ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, the former Awami League MP from Chattogram-6 (Raozan), Saimum Reza Talukder first contacted them in April last year, approximately two months after Chowdhury’s arrest, claiming he could secure bail in exchange for money.
Towards the end of 2025, the family began recording their conversations with Saimum Reza.
According to their account, he contacted them a total of 26 times and demanded bribes at least 14 times, both directly and through intermediaries.
After becoming aware of the allegations against Saimum Reza Talukder, the then Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam removed him from the case.
However, no further action was taken against him and he was not relieved of his other responsibilities within the tribunal.
Following the formation of a BNP-led government through elections, Mohammad Tajul Islam was removed from the post of chief prosecutor in February and Md Aminul Islam was subsequently appointed to the position.