ICT fixes June 19 to hear contempt of court petition filed against Hasina

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has set June 19 to hear the prosecution's petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina for her remarks made in a telephonic conversation with a party leader.

Although the ICT had scheduled today for the hearing, Hasina and the other alleged contemnors neither appeared before the tribunal nor responded through their lawyers, despite issuance of notice and publishing a circular in two newspapers asking them to appear before the tribunal or have their lawyer respond.

The case stems from a leaked phone conversation that circulated on social media last year before being picked up by several mainstream media outlets.

In the audio clip, Hasina is allegedly heard telling former Gobindaganj Upazila Parishad Chairman Shakil Akanda Bulbul that "I have had 227 cases filed against me, so I have received a licence to kill 227 people."

The tribunal considers this statement contemptuous after a petition was filed in this regard on April 30 this year.

After the court proceedings, Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam said, "The tribunal gave the contemnors another chance and fixed June 19 for a full hearing of the matter and to dispose of it or issue an order."

Besides, the tribunal today issued arrest warrants against four accused, including Habibur Rahman, former commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, in a case filed for crimes against humanity over the killing of six protesters in the city's Chankharpul on August 5 last year.

Three other accused are Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, the then DMP joint commissioner; Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam, former additional deputy commissioner; and Mohammad Imrul, former assistant commissioner of Ramna Zone of DMP.

One May 25, the tribunal took cognisance of charges against the eight police officers, including the four, in the case and fixed today to produce the previously arrested four accused and instructed the four absconding officers, including Habibur, to appear before it.

As the four absconding police officers failed to appear before the tribunal today, the court ordered that a summons be published in two national daily newspapers tomorrow, directing them to appear before the court on June 22.

Accused former inspector Arshad Hossain and constables Sujon Hossain, Imaz Hossain, and Nasirul Islam were produced before the court today.

Meanwhile, the tribunal set June 23 for a hearing on a petition seeking treatment of former Awami League minister Faruk Khan at the Combined Military Hospital.

The tribunal issued the order after Faruk Khan's counsel Mustafizur Rahman Khan placed a medical report, prepared by the jail authorities as instructed by the tribunal, on the health condition of his client.

Faruk Khan is in jail custody and is an accused in a case filed against 45, including several ministers, over crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising.