ICT censures prosecution for unprofessional conduct

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 censured Tuesday the prosecution for seeking adjournment in an informal way, reports UNB.
The prosecution was supposed to submit Tuesday formal charge before the tribunal against war crimes-suspect Syed M Hassan alias Hasen Ali, now on the run, for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity in Kishoreganj during the War of Liberation in 1971.
As the three-member tribunal, headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim, resumed, designated prosecutor Abul Kalam verbally sought time as they failed to prepare the formal charge against the war crimes suspect after examining the investigation report.
Interrupting the prosecutor, the tribunal, apparently irked, asked him about the process of seeking the adjournment of trial proceedings. "Why have you taken so lightly the time-petition issue?  Even a magistrate court or a revenue court needs a written application for seeking time."
As prosecutor Kalam kept mum and started faltering, the tribunal said, "Instead of showing lenient view, we're thinking of imposing cost in person for such unprofessional acts in the days to come."
The tribunal, however, allowed the prosecution time plea deferring to August 24 for the submission of formal charge subject to filing written application.
The investigators have already found Hasan's involvement in some war crimes incidents at Tarail village in Kishoreganj district and proof of his collaboration with the Pakistan occupation forces as a member of its auxiliary outfit Razakar in 1971, according to the prosecution.