Dhaka: Food Minister Qamrul Islam on Monday offered unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for his remark over prosecution.

The minister submitted a written apology to the apex court at about 12:00noon, said his counsel Mamun Mahbub.

Mamun Mahbub said Qamrul Islam also sought time for his attendance before the court as he is now staying abroad.

Earlier in the morning, Abdul Baset Mazumder, the counsel of Food Mininster Qamrul Islam and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, said the minister will submit their response to summon issued against them.

The hearing on the contempt charges will be held on Tuesday, said Abdul Baset.

He said the ministers likely to seek unconditional mercy to the court for their comments on Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

On 8 March, the Supreme Court summoned Qamrul Islam and AKM Mozammel Haque to appear before it on 15 March for their remarks on prosecution as regards trial of Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali.

The ministers demanded resignation of the Chief Justice for his reported remarks that ‘the prosecution is doing politics with the trial of condemned war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali.’

The two ministers made the demand at a roundtable discussion organised by Ekatorrer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee in the city on 5 March.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam on 6 March urged all to exercise restraint in making comments on such issues as those are ‘unconstitutional’.

Earlier, on 23 February, during the hearing of arguments on Mir Quasem Ali’s death row review petition, the Chief Justice purportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the activities of the prosecution and the investigation agency.