Law Minister Anisul Huq on Monday said the allegation brought against Barrister Tureen Afroz has been proved.
“She had talked to a criminal and we’ve a record of conversations between them. The voice in the record is that of Tureen which has been proved and that’s why she has been removed from ICT,” the minister said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.
Anisul Huq further said, “The allegation brought against Tureen was that she had talks with a war crime suspect and during their conversation she said the case had no merit. The conversation between them was recorded and the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sent the record to us.”
She was removed as the allegations brought against her was proved but before that she performed her duty sincerity, said Anisul adding, “I don’t know why her sense of judgment did not work in this case?”
Replying to a question, the minister said she can challenge it if she wants to do.
Earlier in the day, the government removed Barrister Tureen Afroz from the post of ICT prosecutor for breaching discipline, and for professional misconduct.
The Solicitor Wing under the Law and Justice Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs issued a notice in this regard.
It said the order took effect on Monday (Nov 11).
Tureen Afroz was appointed to the International Crimes Tribunal as a prosecutor in February 2013. She was relieved of all the activities of the tribunal for professional misconduct and breaching discipline and code of conduct on May 9 last year.
Sources at the tribunal said the action has been taken against Dr Tureen Afroz for meeting war crimes accused Oahidul Haque, former Additional Inspector General of Police, secretly.
A team of Gulshan Police Station arrested Oahiudul, also former acting Director General of National Security Intelligence (NSI) and former Director General of the Directorate of Immigration and Passports, from his Baridhara residence on April 24 last for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
Tribunal sources said Dr Tureen Afroz was assigned on November 11 last year to conduct the case against Oahidul.
She, however, met the accused in a city hotel after wearing a burqa.
Earlier in 2014, Prosecutor AKM Saiful Islam was removed from the prosecution team on the same charges.
