Dhaka: Lawyers at the Supreme Court (SC) today hailed the apex court judgment that reinstated the caretaker government system as ‘historic’. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court earlier in the day pronounced the judgment, reviving the election-time non-party caretaker government system, allowing civil appeals filed in this connection.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, senior advocate Zainul Abedin, who moved a petition filed by BNP, expressed that the day felt like a significant celebration for the people of Bangladesh. He highlighted that the unanimous verdict would enable citizens to vote freely for their preferred candidates.
His colleague, senior advocate Ruhul Quddus Kazal, who also argued for BNP before the apex court, criticized the Awami League government’s previous abolition of the system through the 15th amendment. He noted the resulting issues, such as 154 Members of Parliament being elected unopposed and voting occurring before the scheduled election day, which led to a deprivation of voting rights.
Advocate Sharif Bhuiyan, representing a petition filed by five distinguished citizens, stated that the court had clearly annulled the prior judgment led by Justice ABM Khairul Haque. He emphasized that today’s verdict reinstated the caretaker government system in the constitution and criticized the previous judgment for initiating a long authoritarian period in the country.
Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir, who represented Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, clarified that the verdict will take effect in the future, specifically impacting the 14th parliamentary election and not the upcoming 13th election.
The Appellate Division full bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, pronounced the unanimous judgment this morning.