PM Hasina asks why High Court is spending time on ‘petty matters, not important cases’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed ire over the High Court spending time on ‘petty matters instead of hearing important cases’.

She was speaking in a discussion in parliament on Tuesday on a writ petition filed at High Court over Primary Education Completion or PEC examinations.

The prime minister, along with other MPs, had reacted sharply during discussions in parliament on the judiciary earlier following the cancellation of the 16th constitutional amendment by the Appellate Division headed by former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and his comments.

Tuesday’s comments were her first on the judiciary after Justice Sinha’s resignation amid criticisms and discussions.

Hundreds of thousands of cases have piled up in the court but the court is recording writ petition on whether the children will sit examinations instead of taking care of those cases, she said.

“And the court spends time on this, though it has many urgent cases like arrest and death references of terrorists, members of JMB.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina speaks at the question-answer session of parliament on Wednesday.

“Why spend time on these petty matters?” she asked. 

Jatiya Party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid raised the question about the writ petition seeking an end to PEC exams.

The High Court in June last year issued a rule asking why the tests should not be cancelled following the writ petition by Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akond amid concerns that the exam may have burdened the children.

Opposition MP Rashid criticised the government for continuing the PEC exams before making laws on the issue after settlement of the High Court rule.

This year’s PEC exam started on Sunday and will end on Nov 26.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid responded that no law has been violated in holding the exams as those were initiated in light of the National Education Policy passed in parliament.

A proposal was placed to cancel the grade-V PEC exams after primary education was extended to grade VIII, but Hasina blocked it.

Taking part in the discussion in parliament, the prime minister said, “Maybe there will come a day when exams for scholarship will be questioned.

“There are many people in Bangladesh whose only job is to file writ petitions and discuss these.

“I don’t know what the court’s judgment will be. But if it delivers a verdict stopping education of the children, there will be nothing more unfortunate than this,” she said.

Hasina wondered why MP Rashid raised the question.

“Aren’t the children getting more attentive because of this test? Isn’t the pass rate in SSC exams rising?” she asked.

The prime minister said the PEC and JSC examinations were helping the students get over fear to take SSC exams.

She also said the PEC and JSC exams have been effective in reducing the dropout rate.

These exams also help the children grow in confidence, according to the prime minister.

“I don’t understand where the objection is. We’ve done it considering the future of the children,” she said.