Opposition MPs walk out of Parliament in protest against High Court verdict on removal of judges

Opposition MPs have staged a walkout in Parliament in protest against a High Court verdict declaring illegal legislators’ power to remove judges.

The Jatiya Party leaders, led by Leader of the Opposition Raushon Ershad, left while Law Minister Anisul Huq was placing a bill on judges’ salaries on Thursday evening.
 
Huq tried to pacify them, saying the verdict was ‘unconstitutional’ and would be ‘dismissed’ when challenged.
 
The aggrieved MPs returned a few minutes after Huq placed the bill.

The MPs' power to remove Supreme Court judges was revived through the 16th Amendment to the Constitution on Sep 17, 2014.
 
Earlier on Thursday, a three-judge bench of the High Court declared the change illegal following a writ petition by nine lawyers.
 
Jatiya Party MP Fakhrul Imam initiated a discussion on the verdict on a point of order at the beginning of the day’s session.
 
Another Jatiya Party MP, Kazi Firoz Rashid, and Moin Uddin Khan Badal of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSoD), a key ally of ruling Awami League, also criticised the verdict.
 
Responding to their demand, Law Minister Huq gave a statement under Rule 300, which does not allow supplementary questions.
 
Huq, also a Supreme Court lawyer, said the verdict would be overturned if challenged in the Appellate Division and that the state was getting ready to appeal. 
 
“We’ll follow legal path. We won’t tolerate any conspiracy against democracy,” he added.
 
He said the Supreme Judicial Council, which was based on a martial law ordinance, had the power to remove the judges. “We tried to change that.”
 
He also said the 16th Amendment aimed at upholding the judiciary’s independence.

Earlier, after a prayer recess, Awami League MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque, a Jatiya Party MP, also slated the verdict.
 
All the MPs protested loudly, when Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury asked Huq to place the bill to raise judges’ salaries.
 
Huq said amidst the din: “The judges can be inconsiderate. But Parliament is not. We won’t feel inferior whatever verdict they issue. We will show kindness.” 
 
The Jatiya Party MPs, however, continued to protest.
 
Speaker Chaudhury then told Jatiya Party’s Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu that they are free to oppose the tabling of the bill.
 
Bablu said, “If they (judges) can cancel a law passed by Parliament, then they can also raise their own salaries, allowances.” 
 
He termed the High Court verdict ‘insulting’ and said, “Let’s honour Parliament by postponing the bill until the cancellation of the verdict.”
 
The MPs from the Jatiya Party, formed by military dictator HM Ershad, walked out when Law Minister Huq proceeded to place the bill despite the objection.