Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) today granted leave for a hearing on an appeal against its earlier judgment, which abolished the poll-time non-party caretaker government (CG) system. The full bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, passed the order and scheduled the hearing for October 21.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the apex court made this decision after conducting hearings on review petitions that sought the restoration of the 13th amendment to the constitution and the reinstatement of the caretaker government system. Senior advocates Zainul Abedin, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir represented the pleas, while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman appeared on behalf of the state.
A total of four pleas have been filed concerning this matter. One plea was submitted by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, another by Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Miah Golam Parwar, a third by five noted citizens including Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of the rights organization Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, and the fourth by another individual. All these pleas are being heard concurrently by the court.
Historically, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court declared the 13th amendment to the constitution, which introduced the caretaker government system, illegal on May 10, 2011. Subsequently, on December 17, 2024, the High Court also declared the scrapping of the caretaker government system in the constitution illegal. Following the judgment, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman informed journalists that the High Court's decision reinstates the caretaker system as part of the constitution.