Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on May 8 to address review petitions seeking the reinstatement of the 13th amendment to the Constitution, which includes the revival of the poll-time non-party caretaker government system. The decision was made by a three-member bench of the apex court, led by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Additional Attorney General Aneek Rushd Haque represented the state during the proceedings, while Barrister Ruhul Quddus and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir advocated on behalf of the petitioners. Four petitions were submitted, with one filed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, another by Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Miah Golam Parwar, a third by five prominent citizens including Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of the rights organization Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, and the fourth by an unnamed individual. These petitions will be heard together.
The backdrop of these petitions is the High Court's decision on December 17, 2024, which deemed the scrapping of the caretaker government system from the constitution as illegal. The judgment, delivered by a High Court bench composed of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Ray Chowdhury, also reinstated the provision for a referendum in the constitution. Following the verdict, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman informed journalists that the High Court's ruling effectively reestablishes the caretaker government system as a constitutional element.