Mohammad Tajul Islam

Mohammad Tajul Islam
তাজুল ইসলাম
Islam in 2024
International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh
Chief prosecutor
Assumed office
7 September 2024
Status ofAttorney General
Preceded byGhulam Arieff Tipoo
Personal details
Born (1973-03-25) March 25, 1973
EducationL.L.B (Hons), L.L.M
Alma materUniversity of Rajshahi

Mohammad Tajul Islam (Bengali: মোহাম্মদ তাজুল ইসলাম) is a Bangladeshi lawyer at the Bangladesh Supreme Court who is currently serving as the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal.[1][2]

He was appointed to the position on 7 September 2024 by the newly formed interim government of Bangladesh, following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister of the country. [3] Prior to his appointment, he served as a defence lawyer at the tribunal.[4][5][6]

Early life and education

Islam was born on 25 March 1973 in Jamalpur District. He completed his Secondary School Certificate from Jamalpur Zilla School and Higher Secondary Certificate from Government Ashek Mahmud College, Jamalpur. He earned an LL.B. (Hons) in 1995 and an LL.M. in 1996 from the University of Rajshahi.[7]

Career

He began his legal career in 1998 after registering with the Bangladesh Bar Council and was enrolled as an advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court on 30 January 1999.[7] He was appointed as the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal on 7 September 2024 with the status of Attorney General.[3]

International Crimes Tribunal

Tajul Islam was a defense lawyer of leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami charged with war crimes at the International Crimes Tribunal, and had worked with Barrister Abdur Razzaq.[8][9] He defended Jamat's Leader Abdul Quader Molla at the International Crimes Tribunal in 2013, who was sentenced to death.[10] He was the defense lawyer of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and charged with committing war crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War.[11]

In March 2015, Islam was briefly detained by Bangladesh Police.[12]

Islam, a Supreme Court lawyer, was appointed as the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal by the government on 7 September 2024. His appointment was formalized through a gazette notification issued by the law ministry, granting him the status of the Attorney General. He resigned from the post of joint convener of Amar Bangladesh Party before taking charge. Tajul Islam has previously represented several Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in cases before the ICT. [6][8]

Following his appointment, Tajul Islam highlighted the challenges ahead, including handling cases involving high-profile political figures. He emphasized the complexities involved in gathering, compiling, and presenting evidence and expressed the need for restructuring the tribunal's team by appointing new judges and investigators. [6][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hosan, Ragib; Television, Jamuna (7 September 2024). "Tajul Islam Appointed as Chief Prosecutor". Jamuna Television (in Bengali). Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Advocate Tajul Islam made Chief Prosecutor at ICT". daily-sun. September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Tajul Islam Becomes Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal". Bonik Barta. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  4. ^ Parvathi, Menon (October 2016), "International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh", Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law, Oxford University Press, retrieved 8 September 2024
  5. ^ "Lawyer Tajul Islam made chief prosecutor at ICT". Prothomalo. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Advocate Tajul Islam made ICT chief prosecutor". The Daily Star. 7 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b "এডভোকেট মোহাম্মদ তাজুল ইসলাম, চীফ প্রসিকিউটর (অ্যাটর্নি জেনারেল), আন্তর্জাতিক অপরাধ ট্রাইব্যুনাল". ictcp.gov.bd/.
  8. ^ a b "Jamaat leaders' lawyer Tajul Islam made ICT chief prosecutor". New Age. 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Jamaat's Barrister Abdur Razzaq's return being stalled". Jamaat’s Barrister Abdur Razzaq's return being stalled. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Bangladesh Islamist leader sentenced to death". SBS News. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Mujaheed files appeal against ICT verdict". Dhaka Tribune. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Jamaat lawyer Tajul released". Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 5 March 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Advocate Tajul Islam returning as Chief Prosecutor at ICT, where once he led defence of Jamaat leaders". dhakacourier.com.bd. Retrieved 8 September 2024.