PRESS RELEASE

UK LAWYERS PANEL FORMED TO PROVIDE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO BANGLADESH WAR CRIME TRIBUNAL

A group of British Bangladeshi Barristers, Solicitors and Advocates hold a meeting on 17th April 2010 at Kalam Solicitors: 128 Whitechapel Road, London and formed a legal panel comprising 41 members headed by former Judge, Barrister Md. Enamul Haque as convenor and former Judge, Barrister Chowdhury Hafizur Rahman as Member Secretary with four Joint Convenors Barrister/Solicitor Abul Kalam Chowdhury, Barrister Mohammed Fazlul Haque, Barrister Harun Ur Rashid, Barrister Fakrul Islam Chowdhury respectively.

The panel members discussed on the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 and various recommendations from United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, European Union and current legal arrangement for War Crime Tribunal and found that the Bangladesh Government is on the right track and has taken appropriate measures to this end.

The panel members urged to the Home Secretary Advocate Sahara Khatun to detain Mr. Nizami and other accused of war crime, because their presence in the various political meeting and statements in Bangladesh are not conducive to public good, for their alleged promotion of terrorism, involvement in killings and for their active participation in “propagating, instigating, planning and supervising crimes that resulted in killings of millions of unarmed civilians in 1971 in Bangladesh.”

The panel referred to Mr. Nizami’s alleged involvement as President of Islami Chattra Shangha and head of notorious Para-military organization, the Al-Badar, in Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and other international crimes during Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. Referring specific provisions of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973, the members urged Bangladesh Home Secretary to arrest Mr. Nizami who is being charged in Bangladesh with a criminal offence, his involvement or suspected involvement in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, alleged support or encouragements of terrorist activities and also for expressing views shielding terrorist activities.

The panel reminded the Home Secretary of the Bangladesh Government’s policy to detain a suspected War Criminal to ensure public safety. They mentioned that Mr. Nizami and others known and suspected war criminals presence in the public meeting “is a danger to public” and they forthwith be detained for public safety under the 1973 Act.

The other panel members includes Barrister Mominul Islam, Barrister Tridev Joyti Dev, Barrister Tafsirul Islam, Barrister Zehed Uddin, Barrister Shuja Ud Dowla, Barrister Syed Ali, Barrister Sazzad Hussain, Barrister Fawjia Akther Popi, Barrister Sharif Amin, Barrister Raihan Alam, Barrister Islam Khan, Solicitor Syed Tamimul Haque, Solicitor Rafique Ahmed, Solicitors Chowdhury Md Zinnat Ali, Barrister Swapon Kumar Muzumdar, Barrister Moinul Islam Zuel, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Milton, Barrister Abul Basar, Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun, Barrister Showgotul Anwar Khan, Barrister Iqbal Morshed Tipu, Barrister Habibur Rahman, Barrister Khan Md Mahfuzul Haque, Barrister Tania Haque , Advocate Moazzem Hussain, Advocate Abdul Hai, Advocate Suronjit Gupta, Advocate Dhiraj Mondol, Advocate Lal Amlai, Advocate Mofiz Uddin ,Advocate Swapon Ahmed, Advocate Shaikh Wabaidur Rahman and Advocate Tajim Uddin.


Dated: 17th April 2010, London