New York Correspondent: The US Awami League and its affiliated organisations staged a protest rally and procession in New York on Tuesday evening against the death sentences handed down by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal-2 against seven Awami League and affiliated-organisation leaders, including Awami League General Secretary and former minister Obaidul Quader.

The protest was held at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights on Tuesday (September 15). Following the rally, protesters marched through nearby streets carrying banners and placards. Leaders and activists of the US Awami League, US Chhatra League, Volunteer League, Labour League, Mohila Awami League, New York State Awami League and New York Metropolitan Awami League took part in the programme.

Several national-level Awami League leaders and former lawmakers were also present, according to organisers. They included former Water Resources Minister and former Awami League Organising Secretary Enamul Haque Shamim, Awami League Publicity and Social Welfare Secretary Aminul Islam Amin, former State Minister and former lawmaker Mohammad Zahid Ahsan Russel, and former lawmaker and former Bangladesh Chhatra League General Secretary Nazrul Islam Babu.

US Awami League President Dr. Siddiqur Rahman and General Secretary Abdus Samad Azad, along with leaders from different levels of the organisation, also attended the programme.

The protesters carried banners and placards rejecting the tribunal’s verdict. The organisers described the cases against the party leaders as politically motivated and characterised the verdict as an act of political retaliation and a predetermined judicial process. These are the political claims of the US Awami League and the protesters.

At the rally, speakers expressed their opposition to the tribunal’s verdict and called for its cancellation. They also called for due legal process and justice, arguing that political disputes should not determine judicial outcomes.

Seven Sentenced to Death by Tribunal

Earlier on Tuesday, International Crimes Tribunal-2 sentenced seven people to death in a crimes-against-humanity case related to the July-August 2024 mass uprising in Bangladesh.

Those sentenced to death are Awami League General Secretary and former minister Obaidul Quader; Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim; former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat; Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash; Jubo League General Secretary Md Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil; Bangladesh Chhatra League President Md Saddam Hossain; and its General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan.

The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, delivered the verdict on Tuesday. The seven accused were tried in absentia and remain at large, according to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

The prosecution had accused the seven of involvement in crimes against humanity during the July 2024 mass uprising, including murder, attempted murder, torture, incitement, conspiracy and other acts. The tribunal ruled that the charges against the accused had been proved beyond reasonable doubt. Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam also said after the verdict that most of the charges had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The tribunal also ordered the confiscation of 50 percent of the movable and immovable properties of Obaidul Quader, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil. It directed that proceeds from the sale of the confiscated properties be used to compensate people killed or injured during the July-August 2024 uprising or their families.

The defence had previously argued before the tribunal that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.

The New York protest came hours after the tribunal announced its verdict in Dhaka, bringing the latest political and judicial developments in Bangladesh into the streets of Jackson Heights, home to a large Bangladeshi-American community.

DHAKA — A Dhaka court on Monday ordered the freezing of four bank accounts, two beneficiary owner (BO) accounts and two savings certificates held in the names of former Shariatpur-2 lawmaker AKM Enamul Haque Shamim and his wife, Mst Tahmina Khatun, amid an inquiry into allegations of corruption and money laundering.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Shahjahan Kabir passed the order following an application by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). According to the ACC, an inquiry is underway into allegations of money laundering involving Shamim and individuals and organisations linked to his interests.

During the inquiry, investigators found information about various bank accounts, BO accounts and savings certificates held in the names of Shamim and his wife, the commission said. Two of the bank accounts are in Shamim’s name at National Bank PLC’s Dhanmondi Branch and First Security Islami Bank PLC’s Dilkusha Branch.

The other two bank accounts are in Tahmina Khatun’s name at National Bank PLC’s Foreign Exchange Branch and National Credit and Commerce Bank PLC’s Dhanmondi Branch. Tahmina Khatun also holds two BO accounts with Sinha Securities Limited and NBL Securities Limited, along with two family savings certificates registered with the Department of National Savings.

The ACC told the court that information obtained during the inquiry indicated that the individuals named in the allegations were allegedly attempting to transfer, hand over or dispose of funds and other assets held in the accounts and certificates.

The commission said that if the assets were transferred or disposed of, recovering the money later could become difficult. It therefore sought an immediate freeze on the accounts and savings certificates to prevent the withdrawal, transfer or disposal of the funds. After hearing the ACC’s application, the court granted the plea and ordered the freezing of the movable assets.