Prosecution seeks modification of Tribunal order

The Dhaka Central Jail authorities have virtually denied complying with the orders of the International Crimes Tribunal, resulting in a setback to interrogate war crimes accused detained Jama'at-e-Islami leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid by the investigators, reports UNB. After hearing both sides, the three-member tribunal on April 5 partly granted the prosecution prayer allowing the investigation agency to separately interrogate Nizami and Mujahid for seven hours each, instead of three days inside the Dhaka Central Jail. The tribunal had asked the jail authorities to provide separate room having see-through arrangement so that the lawyer engaged by the accused, from an adjoining room, can observe the interrogation method without audio. Following the tribunal orders, when the top official of the investigation agency contacted the prison authorities regarding interrogation arrangements, the jail super informed that there is no such arrangement inside the jail. Disappointed at the stance of the prison authorities, the investigation agency through the prosecution submitted an application to the tribunal seeking modification of its April 5 order to allow interrogation of the two Jama'at leaders for three days each, keeping them at a designated house in Dhanmondi area. To dispel the tribunal's "anxious thought" regarding the interrogation of Nizami and Mujahid as mentioned in the April 5 order, the investigation agency in its application claimed the designated Dhamnmondi house for interrogation as safe home with international standard amenities. Registrar M Shahinur Islam told the news agency that the tribunal fixed April 13 (Wednesday) for hearing the prosecution application seeking modification of its order. Meanwhile, deputy registrar of the ICT M Salim Miah, a joint district judge, have been transferred on promotion and posted to Sherpur district as chief judicial magistrate. A replacement should be made immediately; otherwise, the tribunal will suffer due to staff constraints, the Registrar said.