Contempt of court: Zafrullah apologises unconditionally

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury today offered unconditional apology to a war crimes tribunal for his remarks about three judges.

Sayed Ahmed Raza, a counsel for Zafrullah, submitted the mercy petition before the International Crimes Tribunal-2 this morning.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan fixed tomorrow for hearing on the matter.

A Magsaysay award-winner, Zafrullah faced contempt charge for making contemptuous comments before the media on June 10.

On that day, the court found him guilty of contempt of court, imprisoned him at the courtroom for an hour and fined him Tk5,000 for criticising the punishment of Bangladesh-based UK journalist David Bergman.

According to media reports, Zafrullah said: “Today’s contempt of court verdict is the proof of mental sickness of the three judges.”

On July 6, freedom fighter Monoranjan Ghoshal, Organiser of Gonojagoron Moncho faction Kamal Pasha Chowdhury, activist FM Shahin, Ali Asgar and Nazrul Islam filed a petition with the office of International Crimes Tribunal’s registrar, seeking trial of the freedom fighter.

Following the petition, Zafrullah was served notice by the tribunal to explain “why he would not be punished for contemptuous remarks.”