Tribunal turns a blind eye to flouter of its ruling!
Dhaka, July 2 (UNB) – A tribunal ruling, which is supposed to be complied with by all concerned in the courtroom, saw an exception on Monday, raising the eyebrows of many.
Journalists, lawyers, observers and security personnel were surprised seeing a different treatment by the International Crimes Tribunal- 1 to a prosecution lawyer who flouted its ruling prohibiting carrying cellphones in the courtroom.
During the trial proceedings, a cellphone carrying by prosecutor Mir Iqbal Hossain suddenly started ringing, stunning all in the courtroom.
At this awkward situation, the top dog prosecutor was seen groping his pockets to find out the hidden cellphone to stop it ringing.
Hearing the ring tone, tribunal chairman Justice M Nizamul Huq simply asked the prosecutor to switch it off without reminding him about the court ruling in this regard.
“Not only today, his cellphone often rings in the courtroom,” a prosecution lawyer told UNB requesting anonymity.
According to security personnel, prosecutor Iqbal usually enters the courtroom without depositing his cellphone.
On June 6, the tribunal issued a ruling prohibiting carrying cellphones in the courtroom for smooth functioning of the judicial process.
According to the ruling, nobody is allowed to enter the courtroom with a cellphone even switching it off or keeping it in the silence mode.
The ruling is applicable for the prosecution panel, including the chief prosecutor, prosecution witnesses, defence lawyers, defence witnesses, members of the family of the accused, visitor lawyers, observers, journalists and security personnel inside the courtroom.
Although a standing order in this regard is already in force since mid-December last year, sometimes the tribunal order is not complied with, especially by the prosecution lawyers and the security personnel, impeding the concentration of mind of the judges and the lawyer making his case, sources in the tribunal said.
However, there is an arrangement made by the tribunal authorities for depositing cell-phones to security desk before entering the courtroom with passes.
Journalists, lawyers, observers and security personnel were surprised seeing a different treatment by the International Crimes Tribunal- 1 to a prosecution lawyer who flouted its ruling prohibiting carrying cellphones in the courtroom.
During the trial proceedings, a cellphone carrying by prosecutor Mir Iqbal Hossain suddenly started ringing, stunning all in the courtroom.
At this awkward situation, the top dog prosecutor was seen groping his pockets to find out the hidden cellphone to stop it ringing.
Hearing the ring tone, tribunal chairman Justice M Nizamul Huq simply asked the prosecutor to switch it off without reminding him about the court ruling in this regard.
“Not only today, his cellphone often rings in the courtroom,” a prosecution lawyer told UNB requesting anonymity.
According to security personnel, prosecutor Iqbal usually enters the courtroom without depositing his cellphone.
On June 6, the tribunal issued a ruling prohibiting carrying cellphones in the courtroom for smooth functioning of the judicial process.
According to the ruling, nobody is allowed to enter the courtroom with a cellphone even switching it off or keeping it in the silence mode.
The ruling is applicable for the prosecution panel, including the chief prosecutor, prosecution witnesses, defence lawyers, defence witnesses, members of the family of the accused, visitor lawyers, observers, journalists and security personnel inside the courtroom.
Although a standing order in this regard is already in force since mid-December last year, sometimes the tribunal order is not complied with, especially by the prosecution lawyers and the security personnel, impeding the concentration of mind of the judges and the lawyer making his case, sources in the tribunal said.
However, there is an arrangement made by the tribunal authorities for depositing cell-phones to security desk before entering the courtroom with passes.
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