The National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has said that the Awami League should be brought under trial as a political party without delay.

He made the remarks on Sunday while speaking to journalists after giving testimony and facing cross-examination in the case over crimes against humanity committed during the July–August 2024 mass uprising against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others.

Nahid said that the Awami League, as a party, should face trial and that there is an opportunity for this. “We will also submit an application to the tribunal. The tribunal already has sufficient evidence. Sheikh Hasina, as the party chief, decided to kill people in order to retain absolute political power. The people resisted and overthrew her. Therefore, the crimes are political crimes committed by the Awami League as a party. They should be brought under trial quickly,” he added.

Nahid Islam’s cross-examination concluded today after he testified as the 47th witness before International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam, Prosecutor Mizanul Islam, and Prosecutor Gazi S.H. Tamim argued for the prosecution, along with other prosecutors who were present.

State-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain represented fugitive accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun—who was arrested earlier but later became an approver—was represented by lawyer Zayed Bin Amjad.

On July 10, the tribunal framed charges against Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, and ordered the trial to begin.

At one stage, the tribunal accepted Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun’s application to testify as an approver to help uncover the truth. He later gave testimony as the 36th witness.

In addition to this case, Sheikh Hasina faces two more cases in the tribunal—one over enforced disappearances and killings during the Awami League’s 15-and-a-half-year rule, and another over the killings during Hefazat-e-Islam’s rally at Shapla Square in Dhaka’s Motijheel.

During July–August, a series of allegations were filed accusing the Awami League government, its party cadres, sections of the administration, and some members of law enforcement of committing genocide and crimes against humanity while suppressing the student-people’s uprising. Trials of these crimes are ongoing in two international crimes tribunals.