The Supreme Court today adjourned the contempt rule hearing against two ministers for their comment against the chief justice and set March 20 for hearing the rule. 

File photo of Food Minister Qamrul Islam.

Nine-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order after lawyers of the ministers prayed for an adjournment of the rule's hearing.

The court also ordered the two ministers – Food Minister Qamrul Islam and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque to appear before the court during hearing on March 20.

During the appeal hearing of war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem, the chief justice slammed the prosecutors and their investigation agency for poor performance.

In response, Minister Qamrul criticised the chief justice for this comment. The other minister, Mozammel, went further to say that the chief justice should not be delivering the verdict in the appeal of war criminal Mir Quasem.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque.

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in the cabinet meeting, slammed the two ministers (present in the meeting) for their comments and said she and her government would not own such comments.

The Supreme Court, on March 8, issued a contempt rule on the two ministers for their bitter criticisms of the chief justice in relation to the hearing of an appeal of war crimes convict Mir Quasem Ali.

Yesterday, Minister Qamrul moved an unconditional apology through his lawyer, urging the hearing date to be rescheduled after March 20 citing reasons that he is currently abroad.

Today, the two ministers were represented by Barister Rafiqe-Ul Huq and Abdul Based Majumder who cited similar reasons and prayed to the apex court for adjournment.

Earlier today Mozammel appeared before the apex court bench as per ordered.

Lawyer Abdul Based Majumder told reporters that both ministers have offered unconditional apology to the SC for their comment about chief justice.