Lawyer ZI Khan Panna withdraws from Hasina’s defence over lack of confidence in ICT

The senior lawyer steps down from his role as state-appointed counsel for the former prime minister

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Senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna has said he will not act as state-appointed lawyer for Sheikh Hasina in two cases involving enforced disappearances and torture at the TFI and JIC during the Awami League government.

Freedom fighter Panna, a Supreme Court lawyer, was initially appointed on Nov 23 by a two-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, to represent Hasina.

On Thursday afternoon, Panna announced his decision in a Facebook Live.

He said he would instead defend freedom fighter Fazlur Rahman, a senior lawyer and advisor to the BNP chairperson.

In the video, he said: “What I have observed is that Hasina herself has no confidence in this court. Moreover, this tribunal has filed a contempt case against my friend, colleague, and political associate Fazlur. I have decided to defend him.”

“For this reason, I cannot, in good conscience, represent Bangabandhu’s daughter in a court she does not trust. It would be wrong and unethical,” he added.

Panna also clarified that although he was announced as the state-appointed lawyer for the former prime minister, he never received a formal appointment letter.

“If I receive it later, I will respond formally. For now, I am saying here that I won’t stand in court to defend the daughter of Bangabandhu. What happens next will unfold in due course,” he said.

He added that assessing confidence in the tribunal is the responsibility of the public. “International organisations that have opposed the Awami League government and Hasina over the last 16 years, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have expressed their views.

“If I can’t properly defend my client in this court, then my appointment as counsel serves no purpose.”

On Nov 23, 10 of the 17 suspects in the TFI torture case and three of the 13 suspects in the JIC case were brought to the tribunal.

Several others, including Hasina, her advisor Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal remain absconding in both cases.