Speakers at BBC 'Sanglap': Unelected JS must not get power to impeach judges

Prime Minister’s Advisor H.T.Imam said if the President of the country could be impeached in the Parliament, why not Supreme Court judges? He said it at a dialogue titled ‘BBC-Bangladesh Sanglap’ held in the city’s BIAM auditorium on Saturday night.
Prime Minister Political Advisor HT Imam, BNP Standing Committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Nirapad Sharak Chai Chairman and Film Actor Ilias Kanchan and Bangladesh Alliance for Women Leadership Executive Director Nasim Ferdous participated in the ‘Sanglap’. Waliur Rahman Miraz and Akbar Hossain produced and moderated the session respectively.
The advisor in reply to a question on the impeachment of the Supreme Court judges said, the matter is still under discussion, adding that the judges are not above the law.
On the other hand, Rafiqul Islam Mia said, “The present House is not an elected one. As such if this House is given power to impeach Supreme Court judges, it will raise debates only”. Nasim Ferdous echoed the same.
Section-52 (1) of our Constitution says that the President may be impeached on a charge of violating this Constitution or of grave misconduct, preferred by a notice of motion signed by a majority of the total number of members of Parliament and delivered to the Speaker, setting.
To another query, whether it will be logical, as per the drafted civil service law that requires prior permission from the government to arrest any bureaucrat despite being accused under criminal law, HT Imam said that it is a matter of the law to determine the career, the record, the aim and other factors of a government official. “It is being done logically”.
Countering his words, Rafiqul Islam Mia said that the government determines everything on political consideration only. Nasim Ferdous opined, the government officers are unable to discharge their duties honestly under political pressure. The speakers spoke also about the qualification of bus, truck, and car drivers. They said that they (drivers) should have minimum SSC or equivalent certificate in a bid to avert road accidents that frequently take place in the country. The government in this connection may take steps as may be necessary.
Not only that, the drivers should be imparted proper training about traffic signals, as well as the technical knowledge of left and right hand driving. It is also imperative to instill consciousness about the effects of the careless and reckless driving.