Staff Reporter :
Pro-Awami League and pro-BNP leaders on Sunday organized meetings and counter meetings over the verdict that cancelled 16th Amendment in different parts of the country.
Of them, the Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad (BAAP) staged demonstrations in the cities, districts and upazilas demanding withdrawal of observation in the verdict on the 16th Amendment by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
The BAAP also rejected the “motivated” remarks made by the Chief Justice in the court’s observation terming it “irrelevant, unacceptable and unconstitutional”.
In Dhaka, the leaders made the demands at a rally held at the south hall of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) as part of their three-day protest programme.
“The draft of the verdict was prepared by the Editor of an English daily,” claimed Barrister Fazle Noor Tapos, member-secretary of the convening committee of BAAP.
The BAAP leaders at the meeting announced a two-day protest programme across the country on August 16 and 17.
Presided over by Convener of the BAAP advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, the meeting was also addressed by vice-chairman of Bar Council Abdul Baset Mazumder, Nurul Islam Sujan MP, Awami League Law Secretary SM Rezaul Karim, former secretary of SCBA Momtazuddin Ahmed Mehedi, Umme Kulshum Smriti MP and Sanzida Khanam MP.
Our correspondents reported that similar meetings were also held at district and upazila level demanding withdrawal of the remarks made by the CJ in the observation.
Meanwhile, the Jatiyotabadi Ainjibi Forum, a pro-BNP lawyers platform, demanded arrest of former Chief Justice and incumbent Chairman of Law Commission, ABM Khairul Haque on Sunday. The forum leaders raise their demand while staging a demonstration in front of the Supreme Court Bar Association Bhaban in the capital.
“Justice Khairul Haque takes a dual role. He said that justices should not take any job after their retirements. But now he has taken a government job. He has violated service rules by delivering controversial statements against the Chief Justice and 16th Amendment of the Constitution,” said, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Secretary of the forum and BNP Joint-Secretary General, while addressing the rally as part of the forums pre-announced three-day programme.
The forum announced demonstration programme on Friday to all Bars across the country demanding arrest and removal of Khairul Haque from the Law Commission Chairman post for his negative statements.
Barrister Khokon said, “Justice Khairul Haque had changed his verdict on ‘Caretaker Government system’ cancellation case after 16 months. He had cheated with the nation. We want his immediate arrest.”
He said that the Ministers are giving disputed speech on the verdict of 16th Amendment without studying that.
Forum leader Advocate Sana Ullah Mian, Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukdar and Barrister Badruddoza Badal, among others, were present.
