Defence counsels retract appeal for withdrawal of vokalatnama

They said the reason for their fear is the tribunal's 'sentencing all the accused in the previous 86 cases without legal witnesses'.

The lawyers also appealed for withdrawal of the vokalatnama that was earlier submitted to defend accused Pappu and Ayub Ali.

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In a written petition, Advocate Arshadul Haque on behalf of his senior Advocate Haji Nazrul Islam told the court that his senior is an old man and a busy lawyer. In these circumstances, he (Nazrul Islam) does not want to conduct the case hurriedly and decides to withdraw the vokalatnama.

Special Public Prosecutor (PP) Abdul Latif Talukder told the court that the statements made in the defence's petition are false and motivated. No accused has ever been sentenced by the tribunal without legal witnesses.

Advocate M Sajwar Hossain, another lawyer representing the state, told the court that Nazrul Islam did not conduct all those 86 cases and his statements are baseless.

On hearing both the sides, Judge Shahed Noor Uddin told that Nazrul Islam had conducted some of the cases for the state. He said he wonders how a senior lawyer like him could make such observations.

Later the defence lawyer submitted another petition to withdraw the previous petition and said that he did not mean to offend the court.

The judge in reply said that the comments regarding the past cases are unacceptable and he would send the petition to the High Court.

Shortly after the adjournment of Tuesday's proceedings, Nazrul Islam along with some other lawyers went to the judge's chamber and said he feels ashamed that he placed such a petition.

Later, the court granted the petition for withdrawal of the previous petition.

Twelve of the 30 accused in the case were in the dock during the hearing. Of the accused, Kabir Hossain, Ayub, Pappu Sarker and Alamin are on bail while Dipu and 17 others still at large.