Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following case:

1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Zahid Hossain Khokon

In the case of Zahid Hossain Khokon, the Prosecution completed their submission on charge framing. The State-appointed Defense Counsel, Abdus Shukur Khan, asked the Court to discharge Khokon from the alleged charges. After hearing both the sides, the Tribunal fixed 29 September as the date for issuing its order on charge framing.

The Prosecution alleged that Zahid Hossain Khokon was a Razakar commander from Nagarkanda. They submitted all of the documents they felt were necessary to support the charge framing order. The State-appointed Defense Counsel, representing an absent client, informed the Court that he had been unable to collect any information from his absconded client or his client’s family. He submitted that Zahid Hossain Khokon is an elected Mayor of Nagarkanda Municipal area, and argued that Khokon was not involved with the proposed charges. Defense argued that there are no documents to show that Khokon was a Razakar. Referencing a list submitted by the Prosecution, Defense pointed out that the document only mentioned the surname ‘Khokon.’ Counsel claimed this was inconclusive, and argued that the Razakar list was not Zahid Hossain Khokon. The Defense asked the Court to take note of the fact that, under Collaborators Act, no case had been filed against Khokon.

After hearing both the sides, the Tribunal fixed 29 September as the date for issuing its order on charge framing.