Zafrullah apologises,  Supreme Court mitigate punishment

The apex court today scrapped the ICT ruling imposing Tk5,000 fine on Zafrullah Chowdhury for contempt of court after he apologised unconditionally.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha accepted his apology after Zafrullah moved his prayer.

The court also warned him of passing any derogatory comment over any court in the future.

Earlier this morning, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and freedom fighter Zafrullah moved his apology prayer, over criticising contempt punishment of a journalist, through his lawyer.

On June 10, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 held Zafrullah imprisoned for an hour and fined him Tk 5,000 for criticising the punishment of Dhaka-based British journalist David Bergman.

Zafrullah was ordered to pay the fine in seven days and suffer a month’s jail term in default.

On June 16, Zafrullah filed a petition to the Supreme Court challenging the tribunal verdict.

On the same day, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division stayed the tribunal verdict and sent his petition to the full bench for hearing.