ICT-2 orders arrest of 3 Jamaat leaders

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan has ordered the arrest of three leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami for not appearing to explain their comments on sub-judice matter.
The Jamaat leaders whose arrest has been ordered are Acting Secretary General Rafiqul Islam Khan, MP, Hamidur Rahman Azad and the party’s assistant secretary (Dhaka Metropolitan) Selimuddin.
The ICT-2 wants these three arrested and produced before the tribunal by March 21.
These three leaders have failed to appear before the tribunal despite being given three opportunities.
Finally the tribunal ruled on February 26 that unless the three leaders appear before the tribunal by March 6, they will face arrest.
Now that they have failed to appear by the deadline, not only do they face arrest but action is likely to be taken against their lawyers.
After court resumed on Wednesday, the judge sought answers from Jamaat defence lawyers Golam Mohammad, Chowdhury Alal and Mohammad Shahdat Hossain as to why the three leaders have not appeared in the tribunal.
The lawyers admitted failure.
On February 4, at a party rally Jamaat leader Selim Uddin had said, “This is not the last verdict… There are many reactions after the verdict… It cannot be taken lightly… To save the country from civil war, there is no scope to give out verdicts from a controversial tribunal.”
In that rally, Hamidur Rahman had said, “This tribunal cannot go on for even a minute more.”
ICT on February 7, issued notice against their statements after they were reported in the media on February 5.
The notice sought explanations as to why actions would not be taken against them for contempt of court.
Meanwhile, Rafiqul Islam Khan had commented on tribunal’s verdict in a press briefing of February 5. ICT had asked him to appear before court and explain his comments.
Earlier, similar explanations were also sought from Home Minister MK Alamgir.
The tribunal had also issued show-cause notices against Minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta and BNP leader MK Anwar.

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