BNP leader Fazlur Rahman summoned to tribunal over contempt charges

Fazlur Rahman, an advisor to the BNP chairperson and senior Supreme Court advocate, has been ordered to appear and provide an explanation of the contempt of court charges for his “negative” comments on the International Crimes Tribunal.

The tribunal has also fixed Dec 8 for Fazlur’s hearing.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder issued the oder on Sunday. The other member of the bench is retired district and sessions judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

Prosecutor Md Mizanul Islam appeared before the tribunal on behalf of the petition. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim was also present.

Afterwards, Tamim told the media: “The honourable Tribunal-1 has issued a show cause notice against Advocate Fazlur Rahman for contempt of court.”

The tribunal instructed him to appear in person on Dec 8 along with his academic certificate and Bar Council certificate to provide his explanation, Tamim said.

The prosecution had filed a contempt of court charge against Fazlur on Nov 26.

On Nov 23, Fazlur spoke about the verdict against Sheikh Hasina in a crimes against humanity case on a talk show on a private television channel. Some parts of his statement, brought to the tribunal on a pen drive, were then played for the court.

Mizanul had previously told the tribunal that Fazlur had questioned the legitimacy of the ICT during a talk show on a private television channel, claiming he did not accept its verdicts and alleging that the prosecution was acting “in collusion with a third party”.

The prosecutor contended that such comments amounted to contempt of court.

He noted that if found guilty, Fazlur could face up to a year in prison, a fine of Tk 5,000, or both.

Fazlur, an advocate of the Supreme Court and a member of the BNP chairperson’s advisory council, was suspended from all party positions for three months on Aug 26 over what the BNP called “controversial” remarks about the July Uprising.