Australia’s Bangabandhu Parishad Condemns Death Sentences Against Seven Awami League Leaders

❐ BD Digest Desk

The Bangabandhu Parishad of Australia has expressed strong condemnation and concern over the death sentence handed down to seven political leaders, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, by the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh.

The organization has called for the immediate non-execution of any death sentences from these verdicts and for full and meaningful appeals to be ensured in all seven cases.

In a statement, Bangabandhu Parishad Australia said that the International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Moinul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Saddam Hossain and Sheikh Wali Asif Enan to death. The organization strongly condemned the death sentences handed down against these seven leaders.

The statement said that these seven leaders are associated with a political tradition that is rooted in the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the 1971 Liberation War, secular Bengali nationalism and the constitutional basis for the establishment of Bangladesh. As a result, Bangabandhu Parishad Australia sees this as not just another criminal case verdict; but also a matter of deep concern about the treatment of political opponents and the future of the pro-liberation political tradition in Bangladesh.

The statement also said that Bangladesh has been going through a major political crisis since July-August 2024.

According to the organization, they view the removal of the elected Awami League government as a ‘regime change’, in which, in their assessment, military intervention and organized religious-extremist forces played a significant role.

Bangabandhu Parishad Australia alleges that subsequent attacks on Awami League supporters, minorities, and cultural and historical symbols related to the Liberation War have further heightened their concerns about the direction the country is heading.

The statement noted that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) had sentenced seven defendants to death on September 15, 2026, in a case involving allegations of crimes against humanity related to the July-August 2024 protests. All seven defendants were tried in absentia.

Regarding the death penalty, the organization said, “Regardless of one’s political affiliation or the seriousness of the charges, the death penalty is an irreversible punishment. It should not be imposed if there are fundamental questions about basic due process, guarantees of justice, and effective access to appeal.”

However, the statement also acknowledged the deep suffering of those who lost loved ones or were injured in the violence of 2024. Bangabandhu Parishad Australia said that those responsible for serious crimes must be held accountable through credible, independent and internationally recognized judicial processes.

However, according to them, accountability cannot be ensured through political revenge instead of the rule of law.

The statement said, ‘Justice must not mean execution. Justice must mean truth, accountability, due process and the protection of human dignity’.

The organization has made seven specific demands, including an immediate halt to any executions based on these verdicts, full and meaningful appellate review of the seven cases, ensuring independent legal representation and effective access to courts, and an impartial examination of the evidence and circumstances of the trial.

The organization also called for adherence to internationally recognized standards of justice and human rights and for an end to the use of the death penalty as a tool in political disputes in Bangladesh.

The statement said that since the accused are political figures, the need to ensure the independence of the judiciary and procedural safeguards is even greater. Bangabandhu Parishad Australia also opined that political differences, no matter how deep, should not be resolved through the death penalty.

Noting that Bangladesh has long been experiencing deep political violence and division, the organization said that another round of punishment, retaliation, and irreversible state violence cannot be the answer.

According to them, a democratic society must set a precedent that even those accused or convicted of serious crimes have the right to basic legal protections.

Bangabandhu Parishad Australia calls on the Bangladesh government, judiciary, national institutions and the international community to refrain from carrying out these death sentences and to respect every existing opportunity for legal review.

The statement added, “Sustainable reconciliation is not possible without justice. And true justice is not possible without due process, fairness and respect for human life.”

Finally, the organization stated that it takes a strong stand against the death penalty and called on Bangladesh to ensure accountability through the law instead of the death penalty.

The statement was signed on behalf of Bangabandhu Parishad Australia by the organization’s President Dr. Nizam Ahmed and General Secretary Abdul Jalil.