War crimes court summons freedom fighter for contempt

By Mizan RahmanDhakaThe International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) yesterday summoned a freedom fighter of 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh and Magsaysay Award winner Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury again to appear before it by July 22 to explain why the charges of contempt of court should not be brought against him.The three-member tribunal, led by its chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan, passed the order yesterday, responding to a petition.Earlier on July 6, freedom fighter Monoranjan Ghoshal, organiser of Gonojagoron Moncho faction Kamal Pasha Chowdhury, activist FM Shahin, Ali Asgar and Nazrul Islam filed the petition with the International Crimes Tribunal, seeking trial of the freedom fighter.The petition stated that Chowdhury, made contemptuous comments before the media on June 10 after the court found him guilty of contempt of court.According to media reports, on that day Chowdhury had said: “Today’s contempt of court verdict is the proof of mental sickness of the three judges.”On June 16, the Supreme Court stayed until July 5 the tribunal’s verdict that fined Zafrullah 5,000 taka, responding to a plea.However, on June 18, the tribunal issued arrest warrant against the freedom fighter “for his failure in paying the money.”Later on June 21, the tribunal recalled it after Chowdhury, who is known more for his work in formulating the Bangladesh National Drug Policy in 1982, submitted a Supreme Court stay order with his petition.On June 10, the ICT found Chowdhury guilty of contempt of court for criticising the punishment of British journalist David Bergman and punished him keeping him standing in the court for an hour and fined him 5,000 taka.The court asked him to pay the fine in seven days and in default he will have to suffer one month’s jail.On June 16, the Supreme Court’s chamber judge withheld the judgment of the ICT for fining Chowdhury for contempt of court after hearing a petition by him against the ICT judgment.But the tribunal did not get the copy of the order on the deadline (June 17).On January 14, the ICT issued a contempt notice against 49 people who had expressed concern through a statement published on daily Prothom Alo over the tribunal’s judgment to punish British citizen and journalist David Bergman of contempt of court.