The International Crimes Tribunal has initiated proceedings to confiscate assets worth more than 1,000 crore taka belonging to 11 fugitive convicts, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader.
The tribunal's prosecution team is set to write to the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday, seeking enforcement of confiscation orders issued in three cases involving crimes against humanity during the July 2024 uprising.
The assets include land, buildings, bank deposits, savings certificates and other properties registered in the convicts' names.
Under the tribunal's orders, half of the confiscated assets will be allocated as compensation to families of those killed and people injured during the uprising.
International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor Ghazi MH Tamim told Daily Waadaa on Monday evening that the prosecution was preparing to formally request the home ministry to implement the verdicts.
"The tribunal has ordered the confiscation of the fugitives' assets, with 50% to be provided to July uprising victims. We are sending a letter to the home secretary tomorrow, who will determine how to implement the orders through deputy commissioners or other relevant authorities," he said.
Of the eight cases decided by the tribunal so far, three have included property confiscation orders against fugitive convicts.
On November 17, 2025, the tribunal sentenced Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for crimes against humanity during the uprising.
Former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was also convicted but remains in custody. His assets are not covered by the confiscation order targeting fugitives.
On September 15, 2026, International Crimes Tribunal-2 sentenced seven people to death, including Quader, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Saddam Hossain and Sheikh Wali Asif Inan.
The tribunal ordered the confiscation of half the assets belonging to five of them, excluding Saddam and Inan.
In October, the tribunal sentenced former Kushtia lawmaker Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif to death over the killing of six people. Three other defendants received life sentences.
The tribunal ordered the confiscation of half the property belonging to all four fugitive convicts in that case.
According to Hasina's election affidavit and subsequent investigation reports, her assets include 2.39 crore taka in bank deposits, 25 lakh taka in savings certificates and 55 lakh taka in fixed deposits.
She also declared two vehicles worth 47.5 lakh taka, gold jewellery valued at 13.25 lakh taka and furniture worth 7.4 lakh taka.
Her immovable assets include 15.3 bighas of agricultural land in Gopalganj, Tungipara, Gazipur and Rangpur, a 10-katha plot in Purbachal and a three-storey building on 6.10 decimals of land in Tungipara.
The Anti-Corruption Commission has separately identified more than 28 acres and 41 decimals of immovable property allegedly registered in her name.
Those properties could also face confiscation following ownership verification and further investigation.
Confiscation proceedings could face legal obstacles involving properties registered under family members' names or held by trusts.
The historic Dhanmondi 32 residence is registered under the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust and cannot be directly seized as Hasina's personal property.
Sudha Sadan is registered in the names of her children, Sajeeb Wazed and Saima Wazed.
Other properties, including a garden house in Gazipur and plots in Purbachal, are registered under different family members.
Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam told Waadaa on Monday night that Section 20A of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, introduced through the 2025 amendment, empowered the tribunal to order compensation from convicted persons' assets.
He said victims' compensation claims would take legal priority over claims by creditors and banks.
The provision also allows compensation to be recovered from assets acquired by a convicted person in the future if existing property is insufficient.
Defence lawyer Abul Hasan said confiscating jointly owned properties could require separate court orders.
He said determining a convict's share in properties with multiple owners could delay implementation.
Once ownership is established and the necessary legal procedures are completed, law enforcement and revenue authorities will identify and confiscate the relevant assets.
Properties may then be auctioned or sold, with proceeds transferred to the compensation fund for families of those killed and people injured during the July uprising.
The prosecution has not specified when the confiscation process will be completed.
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