Bangladesh Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has condemned the statement made by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir regarding the country's judiciary, terming it as “arrogant” and “unconstitutional”.
In his statement, Quader accused BNP leaders of making ‘deliberate negative comments’ about the ‘independent judiciary’.
He said, “BNP's top leadership had been proven guilty in various criminal cases through lengthy legal proceedings and evidence, and they were rightfully punished as per the judgment of the learned court. The current government had no involvement in these cases, which were filed during One-Eleven's caretaker government and handled through a lengthy judicial process in accordance with the law.”
Responding to Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's reference to a case filed against Sheikh Hasina during the 1/11 government, Quader said that the case had been dismissed by the High Court after being thoroughly examined through a long legal process and evidence.
Quader further accused BNP of having no faith in the country's constitution, judiciary, elections, public opinion, or democratic norms since its inception.
“The party continuously attempts to undermine democratic institutions and repeatedly creates obstacles in the establishment of an independent judiciary,” he said.
In a historical context, Quader pointed out BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and said, “He introduced a subculture of lawlessness in Bangladesh and used the judiciary for political gains. BNP had manipulated the judiciary and controlled it from their headquarters, Hawa Bhavan. BNP forcibly retired judges to facilitate the appointment of party-favoured judges and where a High Court judge, without a law degree, was made to resign after being vindicated.”
According to Quader, during the BNP's tenure, there were instances of a High Court judge holding court sessions at his house at night.
He also mentioned the dissolution of a bench formed on the orders of the then BNP party attorney general during High Court proceedings against their party president's decision to illegally assume the post of chief adviser to the caretaker government.
Quader reiterated that BNP's repeated attempts to ‘tarnish the country's judiciary and constitution’ were aimed at ‘saving their top leaders from facing the consequences of their crimes’.
“Everyone, regardless of their political identity, is equal under the law. Awami League government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, consolidated the independence of the judiciary and established an independent judicial system in the country, thereby restoring the rule of law and putting an end to the culture of lawlessness,” he added.