No need to consult stakeholders

The government does not find it necessary to seek stakeholders' opinions on the bill placed before the parliament to restore its authority to impeach Supreme Court judges, but it will consider their opinions while enacting the law, said the law minister yesterday.

“The judiciary does not belong to any individual. So, everyone should contribute,” Anisul Huq told reporters after attending a national conference on access to justice in the capital.

On September 7, the government placed the bill in parliament to re-empower the Jatiya Sangsad to impeach Supreme Court judges on grounds of misbehaviour or incapacity.

Anisul Huq had earlier said they would enact a law within three months after passage of the bill.

After the cabinet approved the proposal for the constitutional amendment on August 18, many jurists, civil society organisations and personalities, and opposition parties have been opposing the government's move fearing that it will curb the independence of the judiciary.

However, the law minister yesterday said, “We believe that the amendment is necessary, and that it will increase people's respect towards the judiciary.”

Regarding some “mistakes” in the bill, the minister said to err is human, and that the mistakes have been noted. The minister attended the “National Conference on Access to Justice through Partnerships with Government Legal Aid and NGOs” organised by National Legal Aid Services Organisation and Community Legal Services Programme at a city hotel.