SC Bar wants indemnity repealed

The Supreme Court Bar Association yesterday demanded immediate repeal of the Joint Forces Indemnity Ordinance 2003.

The ordinance should be withdrawn immediately to uphold the constitution, preserve the country's image and ensure security of the citizens, the bar association observed.

t also urged the MPs not to adopt this ordinance as a parliamentary act. A special emergency general meeting of the Bar raised the demands.

Members of the bar association have urged all lawyers' associations across the country to move effectively to have the ordinance repealed.

The meeting expressed deep resentment over and grievance at the extra-judicial deaths of people and their torture. They demanded judicial investigation into all cases of murders and setting in motion of subsequent legal measures.

By giving immunity to the joint forces for their acts in the Operation Clean Heart, the government has shut the door of justice to people, which is totally against humanity and democracy, the observed.

Observing that the promulgation of the ordinance has trampled the constitution, Barrister Amirul Islam said, "While it is supposed that the disciplined force should have been deployed as per law, they were used rather as private force." None should be given immunity from law for their failure to protect a person in custody, he added.

Questioning the rationale behind the promulgation, Barrister Sigma Huda told the meeting that no-one can take the law in their hand and giving blanket amnesty to a person who has committed offence is contrary to the law.

Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru noted that the ordinance is ultra vires the basic structure of the constitution, which even the parliament or the Supreme Court cannot breach.

Later, the lawyers brought out a procession in the city protesting the indemnity ordinance.

Immediately after coming out of the High Court premises, the processionists locked in a scuffle with police who intercepted them as they were approaching towards the National Press Club at about 2:30pm.

However, the agitating lawyers made their way through the police to the press club and held a rally. President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Ozair Farooq addressed the brief rally.

Meanwhile, various human rights organisations continued demanding immediate repeal of the ordinance as they said it is anti-human rights.

President and Director of Odhikar Dr Tasnim Siddiquy and Masud Alam Ragib said in a statement yesterday that the ordinance goes against the international human rights charter.

Moreover, Jatiya Ainjibi Samity and Progressive Students' Unity also demanded repeal of the ordinance.