2 Shibir leaders exonerated from contempt charge

A tribunal in Dhaka today exonerated two top leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, from contempt charges for their joint media statement about a war crimes verdict.

International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by its Chief Justice M Enayetur Rahim exonerated Abdul Jabbar and Atiqur Rahman, president and secretary general of Shibir, from the charge after they apologised to it unconditionally for their statement.

The court, however, asked them to be more careful, cautious and respectful while making comments over the country’s judicial proceedings in future.

On May 4, the court exonerated three top leaders of Jamaat and a lawyer from the proceedings by issuing warning against them.

The prosecution brought contempt charges against the five leaders including the duo and a lawyer on January 1 for separate statements following death sentence awarded to Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam on December 30 last year.

They all submitted their individual reply following an order of the tribunal issued on January 12.

Tajul Islam, who defended Jamaat leaders facing war crimes charges, was exonerated and given an opportunity to “rectify himself” as he apologised unconditionally for his comment.

Jamaat acting ameer Maqbul Ahmad, acting secretary general Shafiqur Rahman and nayeb-e-ameer Mujibur Rahman were exempted from the charges as their statements did not attack the tribunal “directly”.

But the tribunal began the contempt proceedings against the Shibir leaders as their joint statement, which was published in Daily Sangram on December 31 last year, “prima facie appears to be extremely derogatory to the independence and image of the tribunal...”

In the statement, the Shibir leaders said: “...Inconsistency was everywhere in the case [against Azhar]. That judgement was not given on the basis of fair justice but on the reflection of speeches by the Awami League and their alliance, destructive agitators of Shahbagh.

“...If such trial continues as a weapon of an interested quarter to execute their political revenge, the public would have no other way but to give proper reply against such injustice,” said the statement.