BNP slams plans to re-empower Parliament to sack judges

The BNP has strongly criticised the government’s move to re-empower Parliament to impeach the Supreme Court judges, describing it as a conspiracy.

Speaking at an Iftar in the capital on Friday, acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: “We think this conspiracy to give Parliament the power to impeach the judges is being hatched to curb independence of the judiciary.”

“The people will resist the evil design of the government through vigorous movement,” he said hinting at street agitations over the issue.

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Several MPs called for the removal of a High Court judge in 2012 after a series of events centring a remark of the then Parliament Speaker M Abdul Hamid, now President.

They demanded that Parliament be given the authority to impeach Supreme Court judges by amending the Constitution.

The article 96 of Bangladesh’s first constitution allowed Parliament to remove the apex court judges for proven offences or incapability by the vote of a two-thirds majority.

Military ruler Ziaur Rahman, who founded the BNP, later cancelled took back the authority and bestowed it on Supreme Judicial Council.

The issue of reviving this authority came into focus after the Awami League took office in the last term.

The matter was also discussed when the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was underway.

The Law Commission in June submitted a report containing some recommendations to the parliamentary committee on the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry.

Chair of the committee Suranjit Sengupta on Thursday said Parliament must have the power to impeach the Supreme Court judges to ensure that it was sovereign.

He said: "Parliament cannot be sovereign if it cannot hold all branches (of the State) to account. Amendment to the article 96 is a must to ensure the sovereignty of Parliament."

Fakhrul alleged the government had already taken control of different braches including administration, police and RAB and was

going to establish “full control over the judiciary”.

He said Parliament ‘was not elected’ and the government ‘is illegitimate’. “So this Parliament has no right to control the judiciary.”

Quoting new US Ambassador Marsiya Stephen Bloom Barnikata’s comment, the BNP leader said: “95 percent of the people did not cast their votes in the Jan 5 election.”

“Foreigners have said on several occasions that that the election has not been acceptable. Today US ambassador said before their Senate that ‘the polls were faulty. A fresh election should be held after discussions with all political parties,” he said.

Chowkbazar Thana BNP organised the Iftar at a community centre in the old part of Dhaka. Several hundred leaders and activities of the party attended it.

Before the Iftar, a special prayer was held seeking release and recovery of former BNP MP Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu.

Pintu is suffering life term in prison in Peelkhana murder case.

Claiming that top Awami League leaders were involved in the 2009 bloody mutiny at BDR headquarters in Peelkhana, Fakhrul said: “The government has implicated former MP Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu in the case to hide it (their involvement).”

Parliament must be able to sack judges for sovereignty, says Suranjit