Lower courts come under govt control
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), dominated by pro-BNP lawyers, yesterday demanded that the government cancel the gazette notification on the disciplinary rules for lower court judges by January 7 next year.
The lower court judges have been brought under the control of the government instead of the Supreme Court following the gazette notification issued on Monday, alleged SCBA President Advocate Zainul Abedin.
He also demanded that the government reissue another gazette notification determining the conduct and discipline of the lower court judges in line with the SC directives in Masdar Hossain case, known as judiciary separation case, by January 7 next year.
Advocate Zainul Abedin, also a BNP leader, placed the demand at a press conference in the SCBA auditorium.
He said if the government does not respond to their demand, they will launch a movement after January 7.
Under the constitution, the president will formulate the rules in consultation with the SC, he said. But, without involving the president, the law minister has formulated the rules in consultation with the SC, he said, adding that the law minister cannot play the role of the president.
Zainul said the government has damaged the independence of the lower court judges by incorporating different provisions in the gazette notification.
Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, SCBA secretary and a BNP leader, also alleged that the government has issued the gazette notification to take the lower courts under its wing.
On the other hand, pro-Awami League SCBA leaders, led by its Vice President Md Ozi Ullah, at another press conference on SCBA premises, said the statements of Zainul and Mahbub are unexpected and unwanted. Meanwhile yesterday, the SC fixed January 2 next year for hearing the Masdar Hossain case.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, who is performing functions of the chief justice, deferred the hearing to January 2 as one of its judges was not present in the court on personal grounds. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters that his office would submit the gazette notification to the apex court on January 2.
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