The government has issued a gazette amending the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973. This grants the tribunal the authority to take punitive action against political parties, their affiliated organizations, or supporter groups. The Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs published the gazette late Saturday night (May 10), and the matter became public today (Sunday).

According to the gazette, the President has enacted and issued the International Crimes (Tribunals) (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 under the authority granted by Article 93(1) of the Constitution.

Under the amended law, if the tribunal finds that any organization—such as a political party or any of its affiliates—is involved in international crimes, it will have the power to suspend or ban the organization’s activities, revoke its registration or license, and confiscate its property.

The amendment states that if the tribunal is satisfied that an organization has committed, ordered, attempted, aided, abetted, incited, conspired, facilitated, or supported any of the crimes listed under subsection (2) of Section 3 of this Act, it will be empowered to suspend or ban the organization’s activities, declare the organization banned, suspend or revoke its registration or license, and seize its assets.

Earlier, the Advisory Council of the interim government approved the amendment to the International Crimes Tribunal Act in a special meeting, aiming to bring the Awami League to trial for alleged genocide during the July movement. Following the meeting, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul briefed the press and confirmed the council’s decision.