BSS, Dhaka :
Advocate Mizanul Islam, counsel for Jamaat leader Mawlana Abdus Subhan, on Thursday blamed constitution of the country for obstructing justice.
The defence counsel came up with the view while placing arguments for his high profile client at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2.
“Law is directing us to establish justice but the constitution is obstructing it,” said Islam.
“Mr Islam, you have uttered very terrible (sanghatik) thing. This constitution was written through the sacrifice of millions of people. This constitution is the reflection of people’s opinion and thinking. The elected representatives of the people enact law at the parliament,” said Justice Obaidul Hassan, chairman of the three-member panel of ICT-2.
“Yes, I have uttered a very terrible thing. I told the same thing before the ICT-1, when Justice ATM Fazle Kabir was its chairman. He then called me a third-class citizen,” Islam replied.
“We don’t know what the first tribunal had told you. You have uttered a terrible thing, you have talked like contempt of the constitution. I am not letting you go easily this time,” the tribunal added.
Talking about article 47 (a) of the constitution, which was referred by the defence counsel, Justice Hassan said, “the constitution might have deprived you from some rights, but you cannot talk about the constitution this way. We will take action against you.”
After that the defence counsel withdrew his statement.
The whole saga unfolded, as the defence concluded their arguments on charges that were framed against the accused. After the conclusion of factual arguments, the tribunal adjourned the hearing till Sunday and asked the defence to conclude their legal arguments within an hour on that day.
The 78-year-old Jamaat nayeb-e-ameer was indicted on December 31, 2013, on 9 counts of crimes against humanity by the ICT-1. On March 27, 2014, the ICT-1 transferred the case to ICT-2 suo moto.
