‘It’s unfortunate, unprecedented’
The result of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election has not been declared even after 17 days, making an unprecedented event in the history of SCBA that has more than 8,000 lawyers as members.
Some eminent SC lawyers termed the situation unfortunate and emphasised an early solution.
The result declaration has remained at a standstill as the head of the election subcommittee AY Mashiuzzaman tendered his resignation allegedly amid pressure from some Awami League-backed lawyers during vote counting on March 17.
The pro-AL lawyers have been demanding fresh counting of votes cast for the post of the SCBA secretary on the charge of irregularities.
The polls was held on March 15-16 to elect 14 executive posts, including those of the president and secretary.
On Wednesday, SCBA incumbent executive committee decided to request all its former presidents and secretaries to hold a meeting to resolve the standoff in seven days.
SCBA Secretary Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal told The Daily Star yesterday that a letter has been sent to the leaders in this regard.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin refused to make any comment on this issue.
Eminent SC lawyer Dr Shahdeen Malik said it is unfortunate that the SCBA election result could not be declared due to certain uncertainty.
The issue has been made more complicated by the resignation of Mashiuzzaman who has conducted free, fair and peaceful election of the SCBA for a good number of times, he said.
Consultation with past presidents and secretaries seems to be a fair process to resolve the impasse, he added.
Veteran lawyer Khandker Mahbub Hossain, a four-time SCBA president, said the allegation of misbehaviour by few lawyers with Mashiuzzaman was very unfortunate.
"I think those who have forced Mashiuzzaman to resign are responsible for the deadlock. They should apologise to him and make him withdraw the resignation letter," he said.
Khandker Mahbub also said such a standoff over the SCBA election result did not take place in its history.
Contacted, Mashiuzzaman said as a former SCBA secretary he will attend the meeting of its former presidents and secretaries and hoped that a solution would come.
He said some pro-AL lawyers coming from outside had kept him waiting till 4:00am on March 17.
"They made derogatory remarks... and pressured me to recount the votes for the post of secretary although there is no such provision," he said.
He said he felt insulted as additional attorney generals SM Munir and Sk Morshed kept silent when the AL-backed lawyers misbehaved with him.
SM Munir earlier refuted the allegation saying that no AL lawyer did it. "Some pro-BNP lawyers have misbehaved with him [Mashiuzzaman]," he said.
Md Abdun Nur Dulal, a candidate from by AL-backed lawyers' panel for the post of SCBA secretary, submitted an application on March 17 night to the election subcommittee, saying that many votes have been illegally counted in favour of his rival candidate (Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, pro-BNP lawyers' secretary candidate).
According to unofficial result, AL-backed lawyers have won six out of 14 posts including that of the president in SCBA election.
Former additional attorney general Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir has been elected president of the prime bar association.
Pro-BNP lawyers secured the rest eight posts including that of the secretary. Incumbent secretary Ruhul Quddus has been elected the new SCBA secretary.
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