Pro-BNP lawyers demand resignation of two SC judges

Staff Reporter :

Pro-BNP lawyers of the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday urged two judges of the SC’s Appellate Division to immediately step down as they feel the judges have violated their oath by making political statements while addressing a discussion marking the National Mourning Day on August 15.
Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, a platform of the pro-BNP lawyers, made the demand from a press conference held at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). Barrister Kayser Kamal, central Secretary General of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, read out a written statement in the press conference.
In the written statement, Barrister Kayser Kamal said, “Some parts of the statements given by some of the judges in the discussion meeting on August 15 deserve to be questioned as to whether there is a clear violation of the oath taken by them as a judge. The speeches of some judges can be considered as a reflection of the speech of a politician, that usually given by a political activist in a party meeting.”
He further said, “Justice M Enayetur Rahim, a judge of the Appellate Division, identified the judges as “oath-bound politicians” in the discussion. He had clearly made a political statement like the leaders of the ruling party on the ongoing political situation of the country saying that ‘recently fair elections, foreign representatives and ambassadors’ are being stirred up. …’Voting is not the only democracy.”
He also said, “Justice Md Abu Zafor Siddique, another Appellate Division judge, took a stand against the fundamental right of the common people to elect their representatives through elections saying, ‘elections are held all over the world and no one even looks at them. Why are all eyes on Bangladesh centering the elections?”
The pro-BNP lawyers feel that judges have expressed their support for the ruling party through such statements. This position of the judges is not only for the judiciary, but a terrible signal for our nation, and it is contrary to the country’s democracy, justice, rule of law and human rights.
Advocate A J Mohammad Ali, central President of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, Advocate Zainul Abedin, former President of the SCBA, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Barriser Ruhul Quddus Kazal, former Secretary of the SCBA, Advocate Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, SC unit Secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, among others, attended the press conference.