Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Mohammad Tajul Islam on Sunday alleged that the defence is attempting to mislead the tribunal by filing repeated petitions in a bid to delay the judicial proceedings.

The remarks came as the International Crimes Tribunal deferred its order on framing charges against 17 accused, including 10 army officers, in a crimes against humanity case involving allegations of enforced disappearance and torture.

The tribunal fixed next Tuesday (23 Dec) for passing the order.

The order was passed by a three-member judicial panel of ICT-1 led by its Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder.

The other members of the panel are Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired district and sessions judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

During the hearing, senior lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury appeared on behalf of three detained army officers—Tofail, Kamrul, and Mashieur Jewel—and requested the tribunal to set another date for the order.

The tribunal subsequently adjourned the matter for two days, fixing 23 December as the next date.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam raised objections to the defence plea, telling the tribunal that the defence lawyers were deliberately trying to delay the trial.

He alleged that the defence was submitting one application after another in an attempt to confuse the tribunal and obstruct the judicial process.

He further said that various efforts are being made to hinder the trial proceedings, with the defence seeking to prevent the framing of charges.

“If there is a prima facie case, charges must be framed,” he said, adding that the defence was attempting to mislead the court.