SC to resume review hearing on caretaker govt system Wednesday

The 13th Amendment, which introduced the caretaker government system, was passed in parliament in 1996

The review hearing on the verdict that annulled the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has been adjourned until Wednesday.

The hearing began on Tuesday before a seven-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed. The session ended at noon.

Senior lawyers Zainul Abedin, Ruhul Quddus Kazal, and Mohammad Shishir Manir argued in favour of the review petition.

The 13th Amendment, which introduced the caretaker government system, was passed by Parliament in 1996. Its legality was challenged through a writ petition by Advocate M Salim Ullah and two other lawyers in the High Court.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court declared the 13th Amendment illegal and annulled it on May 10, 2011. Following the verdict, the 15th Amendment, which included the abolition of the caretaker government system, was passed by the Parliament on Jun 30, 2011. The related gazette was published on Jul 3, 2011.

After the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5 last year, five prominent individuals, including Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJAN), and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, petitioned for a review of the Appellate Division's verdict.

BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir filed another review application for the same verdict on Oct 16.

Subsequently, in the last year, a freedom fighter and Naogaon resident Md Mofazzal Hossain also filed a similar application.