The last day in office for Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, the outgoing chairman of the first International Crimes Tribunal, was an eventful one.
Yesterday was the last working day before retirement for the 67-year old Supreme Court justice. The tribunal framed charges against Jamaat leader Abdus Subhan for his alleged involvement in committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
That would not only be the last order passed by Justice Kabir, but also the last activity of the tribunal before it gets a new chair. The government, however, is yet to appoint his successor.
According to Article 96(1) of the constitution, a judge is supposed to retire after he reaches the age of 67 years. Justice Kabir’s profile, available on the tribunal’s website, shows that he was born on January 1, 1947 in Chapainawabganj.
Other than chairing the proceedings of the tribunal until 5pm on his last working day, Justice Kabir met with the prosecutors and employees of the tribunal and also the journalists. The Supreme Court Bar Association and the Attorney General’s Office gave him farewell at the tribunal 1 courtroom. Nearly a hundred lawyers were present at the farewell.
In his usual calm voice, the justice said at the farewell: “The trial [of war criminals] is a continuous process. I finished some of it. My brothers will continue with it after me.”
Justice Kabir said in the beginning he was not very sure. “In the beginning I thought if we failed to end the trial, what were we going to tell the nation? But now I can say that we did some good work.
“In 2010, the then chief Justice called me up and told me that they were going to form a tribunal and that I was selected a member of the bench. I answered: ‘Why not.
I will serve my country from wherever you tell me to go.’ My family and relatives were not happy with my decision because they thought it was a risky job. Then again, some of my family members also encouraged me,” he recollected.
Before that, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam read out Justice Kabir’s profile and wished him good luck.
“Although you [Justice Kabir] were not a permanent justice of the Supreme Court, you displayed knowledge, commitment and dedication” – that was the attorney general’s evaluation.
