The Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Md Aminul Islam, alleged on Monday that concerted efforts are being made to delay the trial of former army official Ziaul Ahsan.
Ziaul is accused of involvement in forced disappearances and murders during the tenure of the fallen Awami League government.
Speaking to journalists at his office on Monday Aminul said the defence side is attempting to kill time during almost every hearing through various applications and excuses, which he described as a negative trend for the judicial process.
According to the chief prosecutor, the prosecution is facing numerous challenges in this case. He noted that Ziaul Ahsan’s lawyer, Naznin Nahar – who is also the sister of the accused – has been frequently filing applications to defer hearings. These excuses range from the illness or death of lawyers to requests for various documents.
The prosecution maintains that these applications are part of a deliberate strategy to hamper the trial of crimes against humanity. “They come to the Tribunal only to seek more time,” Aminul remarked. He further warned that the prosecution would strictly oppose any future applications intended to dishonestly obstruct the legal proceedings.
Regarding the latest developments, Aminul informed that a vital witness gave testimony in the case on Sunday, and the cross-examination was scheduled for Monday. However, prior to the hearing, Naznin submitted three to four separate applications.
He clarified that the prosecution only refrained from opposing the application for a meeting between the lawyer and the accused, acknowledging it as a legal right. The Tribunal subsequently granted that specific request. However, he dismissed the remaining applications as “completely irrelevant” to the case.
