Justice or retribution: the story of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal

Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

In 1971 a conflict marred by atrocities and war crimes led to the creation of the state of Bangladesh.

After 40 years of inaction the government of Bangladesh established the International Crimes Tribunal to bring those who committed war crimes to justice. This month the war crimes court sentenced a senior Islamic party politician, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, to death for masterminding the slaughter of at least 120 farmers in one of the bloodiest single episodes of the 1971 independence war. In a ruling likely to further fuel tensions between the secular government and religious hardliners, the special tribunal found Mohammad Kamaruzzaman guilty of mass killing, torture, abduction and crimes against humanity. But is the tribunal really looking for justice and are all those who committed crimes being tried?