Appointment of judges: Law Minister must resign: SCBA

BNP Vice-Chairman Barrister Nazmul Huda demanded resignation of Law Minister for appointing two controversial lawyers as judges of the High Court.

Barrister Huda made the demand at a meeting organised by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in protest of appointment of the two judges at the High

Court (HC) Division of the Supreme Court.

While, SCBA chalked out the three-day programme of hoisting black flag at the HC premises from today (Wednesday).

Presided over by SCBA president Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, the protest meeting was addressed, among others, by its general secretary Badruddoza Badal, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Adv Nitai Roy.

Barrister Huda alleged that Law Minister Shafiq Ahmed during his own presidential tenure of SCBA had taken a decision to appoint judges to the HC after consulting with its president.

But, now he (Shafiq) himself has routed his own pledge. So, he shall have to resign, Huda said.

The government recently appointed 17 lawyers including the two reportedly controversial lawyers, Adv Ruhul Quddus Babu and Adv Khasruzzaman, as additional judges of the HC.

If the two judges were administered oath, then the SCBA would not welcome them.

Earlier, SCBA president Khandaker Mahbub had demanded cancellation of appointment of the judges alleging that one of them was prime accused in a murder case and the other was involved in vandalising the HC Bhaban.

Huda strongly condemned the threats of arresting the lawyers given by Justice Imman Ali during hearing on a writ petition challenging a government notice to evacuate Begum Khaleda Zia from her cantonment house.

He alleged that Justice Imman Ali, a Justice of the HC Division, had behaved in a way that may attract the Prime Minister’s sight for being appointed as Justice of the Appellate Division of the SC.

“If he (Justice Imman Ali) is appointed as Justice of the Appellate Division, then all lawyers will protest it”, Huda warned.

Meanwhile, in an emergency meeting of SCBA chaired by its president Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, SCBA apprehended that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia may be deprived from justice in her writ petition regarding cantonment house as the government wanted to held its hearing hurriedly though thousands of cases have remained pending at the HC.

Condemning threats given by Justice Imman Ali to the lawyers, SCBA expected that the Justice would show justice-like attitude in future.

Chief Justice was urged not to administer oath of the two judges from the emergency meeting.