Amid the second phase blockade enforced by BNP-led 18-party alliance, Mahfuzullah, a regular TV talk-show panelist, appearing for the first time before the International Crimes Tribuinal-1, submitted a petition seeking to relieve him from personal attendance while facing pre-contempt of court charge.
The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, kept the matter for disposal on December 24, the date earlier fixed for hearing the pre-contempt charge.
Earlier, despite the tribunal’s order, Mahfuzullah did not turn up twice on different pretexts. On November 28, he moved a plea through his counsel for adjournment as he could not come to the tribunal due to rail-road-waterways blockade enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance.
Expressing doubt, the tribunal had termed very unfortunate the stance of Mahfuzullah and observed that the tribunal did not see anyone facing problem to go the TV centres to take part in talk-shows during the blockade.
Responding to a prosecution plea, the tribunal on September 26 asked the management of Channel 24 to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated for airing the ‘scandalous’ talk-show titled ‘Muktobaak’ at 11 pm on September 18 over the 1971 war crimes accused Salauddin Quader Chowdhury MP of BNP.
The tribunal order said: “On perusal of the application for contempt and witnessing the ‘Muktobaak’ talk-show through DVD, we find that Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury and Mahfuzullah without knowing the facts have deliberately criticized the court proceedings.”
“Upon scrutiny of the criticisms made by the two participants on subjudice matter, we’re of the opinion that they have made false and fabricated statements on subjudice matter,” it said.
The tribunal further said there are reasonable grounds to draw up contempt proceedings against Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury and Mahfuzullah as they, without knowing the factual aspects of the case, most unethically tried to give a message to the people that accused Salauddin Quader has been deprived of proving his defence case.
Source: UNBConnect
