Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met President Abdul Hamid at the President’s Secretariat in Dhaka late Wednesday night and discussed the Supreme Court verdict in the 16th amendment case, among other issues. The overall flood situation also came up for discussion.
Law Minister Anisul Huq, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, all vocal critics of the Supreme Court verdict on the 16th Constitutional amendment were also present.
During te two-hour long meeting, discussions took place about the apex court verdict and also about Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Anisul told newsmen. In reply to a query, he said no decision was made.
Emerging from the meeting, Quader, also general secretary of the Awami League, told journalists, “We conveyed to the president the stance of the government and the party on the verdict.”
Asked whether any decision was made at the meeting, Quader said: “No… There will be more discussions.” He, however, said he would talk about the issues later.
Talking to newsmen, Mahbubey Alam said the meeting was a routine one. He declined to speak further.
Passed in 2014, the 16th amendment to the Constitution restored the parliament’s powers to remove Supreme Court (SC) judges for misconduct or incapacity.
Last year, the high court in a verdict declared the 16th amendment illegal and the SC upheld it on July 3 this year. The apex court released the full judgment on August 1. Since then, the Awami League has been criticising some observations made by the Chief Justice (CJ) in the verdict.
Food Minister Qamrul Islam even demanded his removal. The law minister said the government would file a review petition.
Earlier on Monday, Quader went to the President’s Secretariat and conveyed to the president the party’s stance on the verdict.
Shortly before his arrival, the CJ had left the President’s Secretariat after exchanging Janmashtami greetings with the president.
Earlier on Saturday, Quader held talks with the CJ at the latter’s official residence on Hare Road. From there, he went to the Ganabhaban, the prime minister’s residence to brief Sheikh Hasina on his talks. President Hamid has the constitutional authority to appoint Supreme Court judges.
Meanwhile, voicing deep concern over the meeting, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party yesterday described it as a “unprecedented”. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also accused the government of anti-state activities by taking an open stance against the judiciary and Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.
Fakhrul further said: “They’ve met the president and have taken a stance against the SC verdict. We strongly condemn and protest the incident.” He alleged that the government is hatching a plot to subvert the independence of the judiciary.
The BNP leader said their party fears that the government is plotting to destroy democracy and the independence of the judiciary. “We call upon the government to put up a strong resistance against such a move.”
He urged all the political parties, democratic institutions ad civil society members to come forward to protect the country, its constitution and democracy. “We all must unite to defeat evil and undemocratic forces.”
Fakhrul said though the ruling party leaders often file sedition cases against BNP leaders and activists over trivial matters, Awami League leaders are openly involved in anti-state activities. “You’re working against the country and destroying the Constitution.”
He also came down hard on Law Commission Chairman and ex- chief justice ABM Khairul Haque for holding a press conference against the SC verdict violating service rules.
Hasina meeting President Hamid late Wednesday night.
