ICT-1 rejects ZI Khan Panna's plea to represent Hasina

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has rejected a petition of senior advocate ZI Khan Panna seeking permission to represent ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a crimes against humanity case linked to her superior command responsibility during the July-August Mass Uprising, reports BSS.

"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 Naznin Nahar earlier said the senior Supreme Court lawyer wants to defend Sheikh Hasina in the case against her as the state defence counsel.

"He is unwell and that is why I am moving the plea on his behalf," she said.

In its order, the tribunal said it had the jurisdiction to decide who would be appointed as state defence counsel in any case. If he wished to serve, he could submit his CV for consideration in another case.