Staff Reporter :
The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on a contempt rule issued on Food Minister Qamrul Islam and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq till March 20.
The Supreme Court ordered the two Ministers to appear in the apex court again on that day for their explanations for controversial comments about Chief Justice SK Sinha. A nine-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC led by the Chief Justice fixed the fresh date after hearing a time petition filed by Quamrul Islam. The Food Minister, now in Malaysia, filed the petition by his lawyer. The ministers were scheduled to submit their explanations yesterday. Mozammel Huq was present in the court in the morning, but Qamrul Islam did not appear, as he is now abroad.
Barrister Rafique-ul-Huq and Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder represented the two ministers in the court. They pleaded to the court to resume the hearing and fix fresh date. They told the court that Qamrul Islam had gone abroad. He would appear in the court after returning to the country. Fixing the date of next hearing on March 20, the Chief Justice said the two ministers must have to appear before the Appellate Division on that day and hearing would also take place. On Monday, Qamrul Islam and Mozammel Huq sought unconditional apology to the court for their remarks. They begged the pardon in separate applications submitted to the SC through their lawyers.
Earlier on March 8, the Supreme Court summoned the two ministers to appear in the court on March 15 for their statement about the Chief Justice’s remarks about the prosecution team. During the hearing of arguments on Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali’s appeal petition on February 23, the Chief Justice expressed dissatisfaction at the poor performance of the prosecution and the investigation agency.
Ministers Quamrul Islam and Mozammel Huq demanded resignation of the Chief Justice for his reported remarks.
Quamrul Islam had called for formation of a new bench excluding the Chief Justice to hear Mir Quasem’s appeal. Mozammel had also criticised the Chief Justice at the same time.
