DHAKA: Jamaat-e-Islami leaders’ lawyer advocate Tajul islam Wednesday apologized unconditionally before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 for making adverse comment over its judgment.

Supreme Court Lawyers’ Association general secretary Barrister Badruddoza Badal and Advocate Ruhul Kudds Kajal submitted Tajul’s written explanation with apology unconditionally.

On the other hand, advocate Nazrul Islam, lawyer of five Jamaat-Shibir leaders, sought more time to place explanations of show cause notice.

The accused leaders are Jamaat’s acting Ameer Makbul Ahmed, acting Nayeb-e-ameer Mahibur Rahman and acting secretary general Dr Shafiqur Rahman, and Shibir president Abdul Jabbar and its general secretary Mohammad Atikur Rahman.

A three-member ICT team, headed by its chairman M Enayetur Rahim, fixed February 10 for next hearing and asked Jamaat-Shibir leaders to submit their explanation on the day.

On January 12, the ICT has issued show-cause notice to five leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir along with their lawyer Advocate Tajul Islam.

The ICT has asked them to explain by January 28 why contempt of court proceedings should not be moved against them for their statements given to the media on the verdict of death penalty of Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam.

On December 30, ATM Azhar was sentenced to death on three charges of genocide, mass killing and crimes against humanity during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.

The ICT accused them of contempt of court as they called hartal for December 31 and January 1 protesting the verdict of the tribunal and commented on its judgment negatively to the media.

BDST: 1511 HRS, JAN 28, 2015