Chief Justice Sinha plans to go abroad Oct 13, return Nov 10

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who is on a sick leave, plans to travel abroad on Oct 13, the law secretary has said citing a letter.

Secretary ASSM Zahirul Haque told bdnews24.com on Tuesday that the letter from the chief justice to President Md Abdul Hamid reached the law ministry in the afternoon.

"The chief justice has sent the letter to us to inform the president that he is travelling abroad. It (forwarding the letter to the president) is under process now," he said.

Justice Sinha's sick leave following criticism by the ruling Awami League leaders over the 16th amendment appeals verdict has created many speculations and discussions in the political arena.

The BNP alleges that the government has in fact forced him to go on the one-month leave just three months before his retirement for delivering the verdict repealing parliament's powers to sack judges.

The government denies the allegation, saying there is no connection between the verdict and the leave.

The news of Justice Sinha's plan to travel abroad surfaced on Oct 7. A source at the court told bdnews24.com Justice Sinha and his wife Sushma Sinha got Australian visa for three years and they would stay at their eldest daughter Suchana Sinha's house there.

Referring to the chief justice's letter to the president, the law secretary told bdnews24.com that Justice Sinha would leave Bangladesh on Oct 13 and return on Nov 10.

The tenure of Justice Sinha, who took charge as chief justice on Jan 17, 2015, is ending on Jan 31.

He sat at his office for the last time on Aug 24 before the annual Supreme Court vacation started and went on leave when the court resumed on Oct 3.

According to the leave application that Law Minister Anisul Huq had showed the media, the chief justice wants to take rest until Nov 1 following health issues after long treatment for cancer.

Justice Abdul Wahhab Miah, the most senior judge after the chief justice in the Appellate Division, is standing in as chief justice now.

Now the chief justice's leave needs to be extended if he wants to return on Nov 10.

Asked whether Justice Sinha submitted any application seeking extension of the leave, Law Secretary Zahirul told bdnews24.com, "I've told you what he wrote in the letter. He takes his leave as he wishes. He only needs to inform the president."

When contacted in the evening, Law Minister Anisul said he heard about the letter, but had not seen it.