The war crimes tribunal yesterday expressed disappointment over the senior defence lawyer’s absence during prescheduled proceedings in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf.
Later it accepted the adjournment plea submitted by a junior defence lawyer and set January 12 to hear the matter about an affidavit created and endorsed for a prosecution witness.
Last month, the same tribunal dismissed Mizanur Rahman, defence counsel for Yusuf, after warning him three times for repeated absence. As per the order, the lawyer would never be able to conduct any case at the tribunal for any accused in future.
Yesterday was set for giving an order on the issue when two respondents – Bagerhat Judge’s Court lawyers Sheikh Abdul Wadud and Shamima Akhter, also a notary public – were present before the International Crimes Tribunal 2.
Earlier, the tribunal asked the lawyers to appear before it on December 4. That day, Shamima was not present due to hartal. Then the tribunal ordered the Bagerhat police superintendent to ensure her presence. Shamima appeared before the tribunal on December 19 and sought unconditional apology like Wadud had done earlier.
Yesterday, as the day’s proceedings began and junior defence lawyer Gazi H Tamim submitted a petition seeking more time, tribunal Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan expressed impatience and enquired reason behind the senior lawyer’s absence.
Tamim replied that they had tried to come to the tribunal but failed. The tribunal said: “You always appear at the court. You are not attacked by someone. No bomb or fire catches you. Then why do your seniors always remain absent during general strikes or blockade?”
The tribunal also said: “You have to take it into consideration that if we pass any wrong order, you have no right to appeal [against the order] anywhere.”
