UNB, Dhaka :
Despite extending all out cooperation to the newly-appointed ICT-1 chairman in the exercise of his judicial functions only a day before, no member from the prosecution panel appeared before the tribunal on Thursday.
Thursday was fixed for submitting a reply from the
Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based global rights body, before the tribunal to the show cause notice in connection with a contempt court case filed by the prosecution.
As the issue came up before the three-member International Crimes Tribunal, headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim, locally engaged counsel for the HRW Barrister Anisul Hassan submitted a petition seeking adjournment for at least three months.
In support of his time petition, the counsel told the tribunal that a draft reply to the tribunal’s notice on contempt in order to contest the case has already been prepared, but it needs official authentication by Bangladesh Embassy in the USA.
The counsel further prayed for allowing HRW home attorney Dinah Pokemner to get the reply authenticated from the Bangladesh Embassy in the USA.
After ex parte hearing from the HRW counsel, the tribunal fixed March 6 for hearing on the plea over the authentication issue and asked him to submit the reply on the contempt notice on April 10.
Prosecutor Zead Al Malum, one of the contempt petitioners, could not be reached over his cell phone despite calling time and again for getting his view over their absence in the tribunal.
