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The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) in Dhaka has appointed Advocate Md Amir Hossain as the state defence counsel to represent the ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in a case filed in connection with crimes against humanity committed during the July-August 2024 uprising.
A three-member bench of the tribunal headed by its Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder passed the order on Tuesday in a suo moto move, as the accused are absconding.
The tribunal took into cognisance the formal charges brought against Sheikh Hasina and two others in the case on June 1 this year.
Later, the tribunal on June 16 ordered to publish a notice in an English and a Bengali newspaper, calling for the appearance of Sheikh Hasina and Kamal. The notice was published on the following day.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim later informed the tribunal that neither of the accused had appeared within the stipulated seven-day period following the notice's publication.
Consequently, the tribunal appointed a defence lawyer. iMeanwhile, the tribunal on Wednesday removed Advocate Md Aminul Gani alias Titto as defence counsel for Sheikh Hasina and a leader of banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in a contempt of court proceeding initiated against them.
Advocate Md Amir Hossain has been replaced Aminul Gani, said ICT Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim.
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