DHAKA NEWS
Dhaka, Mar 27 The war crimes tribunal on Tuesday took cognisance of charges against former BNP MP Abdul Alim and extended his bail, ordering the prosecution to place the formal charges on Apr 24.
The International Crimes Tribunal, set up to deal with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, ordered the prosecution to submit formal charges, witness testimonies and other documents to the registrar's office by Apr 1 for the defence to collect them by Apr 2.
The three-judge tribunal, headed by Justice M Nizamul Huq, heard an application for bail extension moved by Munshi Ahsan Kabir, lawyer for Alim, and eventually granted the prayer.
The defence counsel said Alim, a former member of the national assembly in 1971 and a Muslim League leader, had not violated the conditions of bail.
Kabir also said nothing had changed from the time when the court gave bail to his client except that Alim's health had deteriorated in the meantime.
When the court asked whether he had documents relating to it, Kabir supplied the court with copies of medical reports.
Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta said although the defence counsel mentioned his client's deteriorating health, the prescription said nothing in that regard.
Dasgupta also cited a number of examples from around the world in his bid to argue against bail extension. The prosecutor also pointed out that the accused was no ordinary person and had even served as a member of the cabinet of BNP founder and military strongman Ziaur Rahman.
He said the situation had changed with the court taking the charges into cognisance.
The tribunal had stopped midway in its order having taken cognisance of the charges because they constituted a 'prima facie' case and then asked the counsels to begin their arguments on the bail extension.
After Dasgupta's submissions, tribunal member A K M Zaheer Ahmed said, "Learned prosecutor, thank you! This is the first time that a prosecutor has come fully prepared."
The tribunal chairman, Justice Huq, stated in his order that it was clear Abdul Alim had not misused the privileges of his bail. "We are of the view that this crippled old man should not be taken into custody."
The order said the tribunal would ask Alim to be taken into custody if it deemed that necessary at a later stage.
The tribunal then ordered the former BNP MP to submit a medical report on Apr 24 when the prosecution would begin placing formal charges. The formal charge, witness testimonies and other documents would have to be submitted by Apr 1 for the defence to collect them by Apr 2.
The International Crimes Tribunal, set up to deal with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, ordered the prosecution to submit formal charges, witness testimonies and other documents to the registrar's office by Apr 1 for the defence to collect them by Apr 2.
The three-judge tribunal, headed by Justice M Nizamul Huq, heard an application for bail extension moved by Munshi Ahsan Kabir, lawyer for Alim, and eventually granted the prayer.
The defence counsel said Alim, a former member of the national assembly in 1971 and a Muslim League leader, had not violated the conditions of bail.
Kabir also said nothing had changed from the time when the court gave bail to his client except that Alim's health had deteriorated in the meantime.
When the court asked whether he had documents relating to it, Kabir supplied the court with copies of medical reports.
Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta said although the defence counsel mentioned his client's deteriorating health, the prescription said nothing in that regard.
Dasgupta also cited a number of examples from around the world in his bid to argue against bail extension. The prosecutor also pointed out that the accused was no ordinary person and had even served as a member of the cabinet of BNP founder and military strongman Ziaur Rahman.
He said the situation had changed with the court taking the charges into cognisance.
The tribunal had stopped midway in its order having taken cognisance of the charges because they constituted a 'prima facie' case and then asked the counsels to begin their arguments on the bail extension.
After Dasgupta's submissions, tribunal member A K M Zaheer Ahmed said, "Learned prosecutor, thank you! This is the first time that a prosecutor has come fully prepared."
The tribunal chairman, Justice Huq, stated in his order that it was clear Abdul Alim had not misused the privileges of his bail. "We are of the view that this crippled old man should not be taken into custody."
The order said the tribunal would ask Alim to be taken into custody if it deemed that necessary at a later stage.
The tribunal then ordered the former BNP MP to submit a medical report on Apr 24 when the prosecution would begin placing formal charges. The formal charge, witness testimonies and other documents would have to be submitted by Apr 1 for the defence to collect them by Apr 2.
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