The Supreme Court is set to pass an order today on the petition filed by public health activist and freedom fighter Zafrullah Chowdhury against a verdict of the war crimes tribunal that fined him for contempt.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed the date after hearing petitioner’s arguments yesterday.
Toufique Hossain, lawyer of Magsaysay award-winner Zafrullah, told the Dhaka Tribune: “During the hearing, the SC asked us whether the public health activist, Zafrullah, would apologise for criticising the punishment of Dhaka-based British journalist David Bergman.
“We replied that we will take decision on the matter Tuesday.”
On June 10, one of the war crimes tribunals found Zafrullah guilty of contempt, imprisoned him at the courtroom for an hour and fined him Tk5,000. According to media reports, Zafrullah said on that day: “Today’s contempt of court verdict is the proof of the mental sickness of the three judges.”
Responding to a plea on June 16, the SC stayed the tribunal verdict that fined Zafrullah Tk5,000. However, two days later, the tribunal issued an arrest warrant because he had not paid the fine. On June 21, the tribunal recalled him after he submitted the SC stay order.
On July 12, the tribunal asked Zafrullah to appear before it and explain why he should not be punished. On July 22, the tribunal gave him two more weeks for giving the explanation.
Accepting a petition, the three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan fixed August 5 for submission of the explanation.
The freedom fighter gained prominence after playing a key role in formulating the Bangladesh National Drug Policy in 1982. In 1971, he was one of the organisers of the 480-bed Bangladesh Hospital for freedom fighters and the refugees during the 1971 Liberation War.
