Rights Situation: 288 SC lawyers protest resolution of European Parliament

Two hundred and eighty-eight lawyers of the Supreme Court in a statement have strongly protested the European Parliament's resolution on the human rights situation in Bangladesh, particularly in the case of Odhikar's Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan.

"We are deeply concerned with the resolution (of the European Parliament) as it is a blatant interference with the judicial system of an independent and sovereign country, which is unexpected and unwanted," the lawyers said in the statement.

Yusuf Hossain Humayun, a senior lawyer and convener of Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad, signed the statement on Tuesday.

"The judiciary of Bangladesh has been working independently since November 1, 2007. The judiciary has no scope to be influenced by any authority after it has been separated from the executive. The remark made by the European Parliament through its September 14 resolution about the judiciary of Bangladesh is defamatory to our great independence and sovereignty..."

In the statement, they hoped that the European Parliament will withdraw its resolution. The SC lawyers, whose names were mentioned include Syed Rezaur Rahman, Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir, Dr Bashir Ahmed, Md Abdun Nur Dulal, Md Layekuzzaman Mollah, Md Motaher Hossain Sazu, Azhar Ullah Bhuiyan, Jesmin Sultana, Md Ozi Ullah, Momtazuddin Mehedi, Shah Monjurul Hoque and ABM Noor-A-Alam Uzzal.