Dhaka, Aug 30 (UNB) – The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday held back till September 2 its scheduled cross-examination of prosecution witness against accused Salauddin Quader Chowdhury as his principal counsel fell sick.

As the tribunal with its newly-appointed member Justice Jahangir Hossain of the High Court resumed at 10:40 am putting detained SQ Chowdhury in the dock, defence counsel Ahsanul Huq Hena prayed for adjournment due to his illness.

Justice Hossain was appointed on Wednesday following the resignation of ICT-1 member AKM Zaheer Ahmed, a retired district judge, on health ground.

Prosecution lawyer Zead Al Malum opposed the defence lawyer’s plea for adjournment of the trial proceedings.

Allowing the defence plea, tribunal chairman Justice M Nizamul Huq re-fixed September 2 (Sunday) for cross-examination of the prosecution witness against BNP MP SQ Chowdhury who faces trial on charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971.

The charges include genocide in collaboration with Pakistan occupation army, killing, extermination of Hindu minority groups, deportation, persecution and abduction in Chittagong district.