No steps yet to reconstitute tribunal-1

No initiatives have apparently been taken to reconstitute the International Crimes Tribunal-1 even seven days into its chairman's retirement, causing delay in war crimes trial.
The reconstitution became necessary as former chairman of the tribunal Justice ATM Fazle Kabir went on retirement on January 1.
The verdict in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami is being delayed although the proceedings were completed on November 20.
The case against Nizami has taken the highest 493 days to complete.
Contacted, State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam said the tribunal-1 would be reconstituted soon but gave no timeframe. The state minister made the same comment to The Daily Star on December 31.
The government however took only two days to reconstitute the same tribunal after its first chairman had resigned amid Skype controversy on December 11, 2012.
Yesterday was fixed for recording defence testimony in the war crimes case against Awami League leader Mobarak Hossain and hearing defence reply in a contempt petition filed against Human Rights Watch.
The testimony and hearing in the war crimes case and the contempt petition were deferred to January 16 and February 27, respectively at the judge's chamber.
TRIBUNAL-2
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has asked two Bagerhat lawyers to appear before the court on Sunday “without failure” as they didn't show up yesterday citing “unavoidable situation”.
Earlier on November 17, the tribunal summoned Sheikh Abdul Wadud, lawyer of Bagerhat District Judge's Court, and Shamima Aktar, a lawyer and notary public from the same district, to appear before it to clarify an affidavit allegedly sworn by Achhia Khatun, a prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat leader AKM Yusuf.
Wadud appeared before the tribunal on December 15, but Shamima did not come and the tribunal ordered the superintendent of police in Bagerhat to produce her before the court on December 19.
On December 19, the tribunal fixed yesterday to pass an order regarding the matter after Shamima appeared before the court. It had also asked both the lawyers to appear yesterday.
But none of them appeared before the court yesterday and Gazi MH Tamim, a member of Yusuf's defence, said there was an “unavoidable situation” and sought a brief adjournment.
During Achhia's cross-examination on November 17, defence counsel Syed Mizanur Rahman showed her a document asking if she recognised the photo attached to it.
Achhia said it was her photo but expressed her surprise at how it had got there. Mizanur also showed her a signature on the document and asked her if she had signed it.
The witness said it was not her signature.
The tribunal chairman said Achhia's affidavit should not be in others' possession unless it was made by others.
Since the witness denied signing the affidavit, the tribunal summoned the lawyers concerned to verify it.
The contents of the affidavit could not be known.