July Movement Activist Accuses Former ICT Chief Prosecutor Tajul of Corruption
A participant in the July mass uprising has raised serious allegations of corruption and misconduct against former International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and several prosecutors associated with him.
The complaint was filed by Mohammad Samrat Robayet, a coordinator of a private university unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. He submitted a written statement to the current chief prosecutor, expressing concerns over the handling of a crimes against humanity case related to the 2024 July uprising in Chattogram.
In the complaint, Robayet alleged that Tajul Islam attempted to protect former lawmaker ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, who is currently in custody in connection with the case. He claimed that despite testimony from more than 50 witnesses, a key suspect was not included in the arrest warrant.
The complaint also accuses Tajul Islam of maintaining improper communication with individuals linked to the accused, creating what was described as a “culture of impunity.” It further alleges that a group of prosecutors worked together to shield suspects and delay legal proceedings, even when investigators were ready to submit reports.
Additional claims include issuing arrest warrants without sufficient evidence and taking questionable legal positions during hearings. The complainant also alleged misconduct by another prosecutor when he attempted to raise these concerns.
The complaint further claims that some prosecutors may have accepted money in exchange for protecting accused individuals, while another allegedly demanded a large sum to arrange bail.
Following the emergence of these allegations, authorities formed a five-member fact-finding committee to investigate the matter. One of the accused prosecutors has reportedly resigned.
Mohammad Tajul Islam has denied the allegations, stating that they are baseless. Other accused prosecutors have also rejected the claims.
The matter remains under investigation as authorities continue to examine the allegations.
