Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) 2 on Thursday set 29 April for submitting reply by 23 noted citizens as to why they shall not be punished for contempt of court.

The 23 are Shireen Huq, Zafrullah Chowdhury, Ali Ahmed Ziauddin, CR Abrar, Farida Akhter, Bina D'Costa, Afsan Chowdhury, Rahnuma Ahmed, Shahidul Alam, Leesa Gazi, Anu Mohammad, Lubna Marium, Zarina Nahar Kabir, Shabnam Nadia, Mahmud Rahman, Nasreen Siraj Annie, Anusheh Anadil, Tibra Ali, Delwar Hossain, Masud Khan, Ziaur Rahman, Hana Shams Ahmed and Muktashree Chakma Sathi.

Earlier, 23 April was set for submitting the reply, but the tribunal extended the time, accepting two petitions filed by the accused.

The ICT 2 on 1 April drew contempt proceedings against these 23, asking them to show cause, why they shall not be punished for contempt of court.

Earlier on 14 January, the ICT 2 issued contempt notice against 49, who had expressed concern through a statement published on daily Prothom Alo after British journalist and blogger David Bergman's punishment by the tribunal, asking them to explain their statement and conduct.

Based on their explanations, the tribunal on two past dates exonerated 25 from the allegation of committing contempt of court. On 1 April, the tribunal exonerated Rezaur Rahman, from the allegation as he sought unconditional apology from the court.

Bergman, a special reports' editor of daily New Age, got the punishment for committing contempt of court on 2 December 2014, for his irrelevant criticism of the trial process on his personal blog and for demeaning the court.

After that, Prothom Alo carried out a report under the heading 'Concern of 50 eminent citizens over Bergman punishment' on 20 December. Later, rights activists Khushi Kabir, whose name was also there, withdrew her statement.