BNP standing committee has called upon the judiciary to work neutrally and independently instead of helping the government to gain its narrow political interests.

At a virtual meeting on Friday, the committee also voiced deep concern as the Appellate Division dismissed a leave to appeal petition filed by Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he said their standing committee members observed that, “Unfortunately, there is a perception in the public mind that the judiciary is unfairly cooperating with the illegitimate, usurper and unelected government to serve the narrow purposes of the ruling party instead of protecting the independence enshrined by the constitution.”

The BNP leader said their meeting strongly condemned and protested such despicable efforts. “We call upon the judiciary to carry out its judicial functions independently with an impartial attitude upholding the main character of the constitution.”

Earlier on Wednesday last, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld a High Court verdict that cleared the way for the lower court to resume trial proceedings of a corruption case filed against Dr Zubaida.

READ: Suffocating situation prevailing due to misrule: Fakhrul

Fakhrul said Dr Zubaida is a non-political physician and the Anti-Corruption Commission has implicated her in the case with a political motive.  “The case has been filed without any basis only to harass and humiliate the Zia family.”

He said the order that was given by the Appellate Division appears to be a dictated one.

The BNP leader alleged that the government has been making efforts to eliminate political institutions using the ‘false’ cases by establishing its ‘control’ and ‘influence’ over the judiciary.

“In the same way, they (govt) are trying to keep our leader Begum Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman away from politics by unlawfully convicting them in false cases out of political vengeance,” he observed.

The BNP leader also alleged that the government is trying to use the judiciary to destroy the democratic character of the constitution and thus establish a one-party authoritarian dictatorship.