National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary and Rangpur-4 lawmaker, Akhter Hossen, expressed sharp indignation in Parliament on Thursday over the sudden postponement of the Bangladesh Bar Council election, questioning the government's conflicting stance on the country’s energy situation.
Raising the issue on a point of order, Hossen criticised a midnight notice that stayed the election, which was originally scheduled for May 19.
He pointed out that while the government repeatedly denies any energy shortage in Parliament, a statutory body like the Bar Council has cited a severe energy crisis as the reason for the delay.
Hossen argued that the Bar Council is currently governed by an ad-hoc committee, a measure usually reserved for extreme circumstances like a pandemic.
He noted that although the transition to a democratic process had begun with the announcement of the May 19 polls, the sudden suspension raises questions about political intent.
"When we discuss energy shortages in the House, the government insists there is no crisis," Hossen stated.
"Yet, a statutory body under the Ministry of Law suspends its election citing the very same energy crisis. What is the real issue? Is it truly energy, or an attempt to keep a democratic institution politicized?"
The MP called for a formal statement from both the Law Minister and the Energy Minister to clarify the discrepancy.
In response, Law Minister Asaduzzaman dismissed the allegations of government interference, asserting that the Bar Council is an autonomous body that makes its own decisions based on legal provisions.
The Minister clarified that while the energy crisis was mentioned, there were other legally sound reasons that the NCP MP chose to omit.
According to the Law Minister, several bar associations, including the Dhaka Bar, had requested a postponement to ensure their local election processes remained undisturbed.
The Minister noted that the Bar Council acted independently using its own wisdom and professional judgment.
He further explained that multiple bar associations requested the delay to ensure the smooth conduct of their own ongoing internal polls.
Finally, he emphasised that the postponement falls under valid legal frameworks beyond just pandemic or awkward situations.
The Law Minister stated that the government is committed to a free and fair election for the Bar Council and denied any involvement in the council’s internal administrative decisions.