Demanding AD judges’ resignation contempt of court : SCBA

Staff Reporter  :
Leaders of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Sunday alleged that leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, a platform of the pro-BNP lawyers, have committed contempt of court by demanding the resignation of two judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

The SCBA leaders made the allegation from a press conference held at the SCBA building. Md Abdun Nur Dulal, Secretary of the SCBA, read out a written statement in the press conference.

Md Momtazuddin Fakir, President of the SCBA, and others leaders were present on the occasion.

Pro-BNP lawyers of the Supreme Court on August 17 urged two judges of the SC’s Appellate Division to immediately step down as the lawyers feel the judges have violated their oath by making political statements while addressing a discussion marking the National Mourning Day on August 15.

In the written statement Md Abdun Nur Dulal said the lawyers of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum have acted in contempt of court by making slurs about the apex court judges.

He said the pro-BNP lawyers misinterpreted the statement of the judges.

In a press conference Barrister Kayser Kamal, central Secretary General of Jaityatabadi Ainjibi Forum, 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 is 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?”