The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 on Sunday deferred the hearing of the trial of ATM Azharul Islam till May 6 as the prosecution failed to present their witness before the court. Sunday was fixed for examining 11th prosecution witness (PW) and others.
But as the tribunal started its proceedings at 10.45 am, prosecutor Tapas Kanti Baul submitted an application seeking time, saying they couldn’t present their witnesses as some of them have fell sick due to the current heat waves and some couldn’t come for the sickness of their family members. “My seniors are also busy in another trial that is going on at ICT-2. So we need ten days time,” prosecutor Tapas said. “The last date of hearing in this trial was on April 13, so it doesn’t look good, if you seek more time after such a long break.
Are all the prosecutors busy in one case?” Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the three-member panel of ICT-1, said.
The tribunal than set May 6 for holding next hearing of this trial. Azhar, assistant secretary general of Jamaat, was indicted on November 12, 2013 on six charges of crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, at ICT-2, the prosecution also did not able to present their next witnesses in Mawlana Abdus Sobhan’s trial citing the same reason as their colleagues at ICT-1.
