On the very day Mohammad Tajul Islam was removed from his position as Chief Prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD), fellow prosecutor B.M. Sultan Mahmud publicly levelled serious allegations of corruption, bribery, and procedural irregularities against him.
Sultan accused Tajul of leading a syndicate that turned the chief prosecutor’s office into a tool for personal financial gain, echoing long-standing concerns about the tribunal’s impartiality and integrity under recent leadership.
The accusations emerged via comments Sultan posted on February 23, under a Facebook post by user Kazi Mostafizur Rahman Ahad titled โSettlement Trading and Approver Drama at the Tribunal: Why Must Tajul Islam Step Down?โ In his detailed remarks, Sultan directly implicated Tajul and prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim in corrupt practices.
Key Allegations
– In the Ashulia arson and murder case (related to killings during the July uprising), the wife of accused Sub-Inspector (SI) Sheikh Abzalul Haque reportedly entered prosecutor Tamim’s chamber in the evening carrying a heavy bagโimplying a bribe handover. Sultan claimed he personally witnessed this and informed Tajul Islam, who allegedly took no action and instead reprimanded those who raised the issue. Subsequently, SI Abzalul was made an approver (state witness), and he was acquitted in the February 5, 2026, verdict, which sentenced six to death, seven to life imprisonment, and two to seven years.
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– In the Chanakharpul case (involving police firing orders during the uprising), video evidence allegedly shows SI Ashraful giving shoot-to-kill instructions, yet he was not made an accused but instead turned into a witness. Sultan stated he possesses this video.
– Questions were raised about why Assistant Commissioner (AC) Imran was discharged from the Rangpur Abu Sayeed murder case (classified as a crime against humanity), despite witness testimonies naming him in court.
– Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was made an approver and sentenced to five years in a related November 17, 2025, ruling that imposed death sentences on Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khanโprompting Sultan’s query on the rationale.
Sultan explicitly described a โthree- or four-member syndicateโ operating from the beginning, with Tajul Islam at the helm, transforming the chief prosecutor’s position into a โmoney-making instrument.โ He asserted he holds evidence for his claims and reiterated them in a later phone conversation with the media.
These allegations gain weight in light of the tribunal’s controversial handling of July uprising-related cases, where select police and officials linked to the former government received lenient treatment (approver status or acquittal) while others faced severe penaltiesโraising questions about selective justice and possible financial motivations.
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Tajul Islam, speaking to journalists at the tribunal premises shortly after his removal was formalised (via a Law Ministry notification revoking his September 5, 2024, appointment), dismissed the claims as โcompletely false,โ โbaseless,โ and driven by โpersonal grudgeโ or โvengeance.โ
He insisted no such incidents occurred, that he was unaware of the alleged bag incident, and that all tribunal proceedings had been transparent and court-proven. Tajul described the accusations as unfortunate attempts to tarnish the process and said they would not be taken seriously, as the public and media could witness the tribunal’s fairness.
The new Chief Prosecutor, Md. Aminul Islam (a Supreme Court lawyer previously representing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia), assumed duties immediately. When questioned about Sultan’s allegations during his first briefing, he deferred comment, stating it was his first day and any formal issues would be addressed if brought to him properly.
Prosecutor Sultan’s courageous standโcoming immediately after Tajul’s ousterโlends significant credibility to the corruption claims, especially given the detailed, incident-specific nature of the accusations and the timing of Tajul’s exit day. These revelations fuel wider scrutiny of the tribunal’s operations, including questionable approver deals and potential financial irregularities in politically charged cases.
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