The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has rejected a plea by senior advocate ZI Khan Panna, who is seeking to defend ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a crimes against humanity case.
Due to her superior command during the July-August Mass Uprising, Hasina faces responsibility for all the crimes committed at that period.
“The train has long left the station. If you tell the station master you want to board after the train has departed, is it possible? Why is he interested in participating in this particular case, when a state-appointed defence counsel is already assigned? We were looking for state defence counsels earlier, but he did not come forward then,” the tribunal told advocate Naznin Nahar, who moved the plea on behalf of ZI Khan Panna.
Advocate Nahar had earlier said, the senior Supreme Court lawyer wants to defend Sheikh Hasina in the case against her as the state defence counsel. “Panna is unwell, and that is why I am moving the plea on his behalf,” she said.
“It is our jurisdiction to decide who will be appointed as state defence counsel in any case. If Panna wishes to serve as one, he may submit his CV, and we will consider it in another case,” the tribunal said in response.