Bar council against more power to mobile courts

Fearing misuse of power, country’s ace lawyer regulating body Bangladesh Bar Council today urged the government not to extend the power of mobile courts.

“Otherwise, the spirit of separating judiciary from the executives will be hampered,” Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, vice-chairman of the body, said.

The government recently endorsed an amendment to the Mobile Court Act 2009 that will allow executive magistrates to penalise wrongdoers even if they do not confess to their crimes.

“It will be against justice,” Khandaker Mahbub said in a press conference at the Bar council’s auditorium this morning. “Innocent people may be harassed under political influence.”

If necessary, the power to punish offenders can be given to judicial magistrates under the Supreme Court, the pro-BNP lawyer suggested.

Khandaker Mahbub said the present ‘voter-less government’ is trying to amend the Mobile Court Act further to increase power to administrative authorities as it is dependent on the executives.