No rule of law during military-backed CG

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed yesterday said there was no rule of law and independence of the judiciary during the regime of the military-backed caretaker government as the joint forces had indirectly interfered in the judicial functions.
The highest court in different verdicts had given validity to some emergency rules that had suspended the fundamental rights of people and, therefore, the lawyers did not accord farewell to the then chief justice, he added.
The minister said this as the chief guest at the launching ceremony of a book titled 'Note from a Prison: Bangladesh' written by Awami League lawmaker Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.
Bangladesh Chorcha organised the function at Bilia auditorium in the city with its Chairperson Prof BK Jahangir in the chair.
Senior lawyer Barrister Rafique-UI Huq, businessman Salman F Rahman, Editor of the New Age Nurul Kabir and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir also spoke.
Shafique said the men of the joint forces stayed at “kangaroo courts” (special courts in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban area) when the cases against high-profile politicians and businessmen were running during the emergency period.
The judges and staffs of those courts had discharged functions as per their directives, he said, adding that the same situation was seen later at the Supreme Court.
The minister called on all to be careful so that the constitution of the country is not suspended by any unconstitutional means.
Rafique-Ul Huq said that the entire government of the emergency period was illegal.