Justice Mustafa Kamal no more

Eminent jurist and former chief justice Mustafa Kamal is no more.

He breathed his last at the age of 81 at his Gulshan residence around 3:00am yesterday.

He left behind his three daughters Nashid Kamal, Naeela Kamal and Nazeefa Kamal, brother Mustafa Zaman Abbasi and sister Ferdausi Rahman and a host of relatives to mourn his death.

Eldest son of legendary singer Abbasuddin Ahmed, he was born in Rangpur in 1933 and was named Mustafa Kamal by national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, said a press release issued by his daughter Nashid Kamal.

He had an illustrious academic career -- standing first class first in BA (Hons) and MA in Political Science from Dhaka University in 1953 and 1954. In 1958, he obtained MSc (Economics) in Political Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science and joined the Lincoln's Inn in 1959.

After completing his studies, Mustafa Kamal practised law in the Dhaka court, and was appointed as a High Court judge in 1979. He was elevated to the Appellate Division in 1989. He served as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh from June 1 to December 31 in 1999.

Mustafa Kamal has imparted wisdom, creativity and progressiveness to the judiciary for 20 years, the press release states.

His judgements remain as exemplary documents to his successors, standing out both in style and content. In 2003, he was appointed as a consultant for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) by the then government and had taught modules on the ADR in 64 districts of the country.

He may be called the “father of ADR” in Bangladesh. He also served briefly as the chairman of the Law Commission.

He wrote two books "Bangladesh Constitution, Trends and Issues" in English and a Bangla book “Amar Kichhu Bola”.

News of Mustafa Kamal's death cast a pall of gloom over the SC, with judges and lawyers suspending their normal judicial activities.

Lawyers and different organisations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Bangladesh Bar Council, expressed their condolences over the death of the eminent lawyer. They prayed for the salvation of his departed soul.

His first namaz-e-janaza was held at Azad mosque in Gulshan followed by the second janaza on the SC premises.

Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, judges of the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court, former Chief Justices MM Ruhul Amin and ABM Khairul Haque, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam attended the janaza, among others, on the SC premises.

He was buried in Azimpur graveyard in the same grave of his father.