Two reports: First one from Farhan.

Just before going into recess (1 pm BST) the Supreme Court bench
hearing the Writ against the President / CTG Chief said “we are
inclined to give a ruling after recess”. At 2pm after recess they
said that the Chief Justice had “withdrawn their jurisdiction” and
hence they are could not issue a ruling.

In lay man’s terms before lunch the Judges hearing the case said that
they will give a ruling. But after lunch they came back saying that
the Chief Justice has suspended their power to make any ruling. The
Attorney General had made a plea to the Chief Justice to do this.

Chaos prevails in the area with many prominent pro BNP lawyers
(including the ex- Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister) had to
flee the scene. Chief Justices office and residence has been attacked
as was that of the AG.

Things are grave indeed.

2nd one from Moin Ghani, a lawyer present on the scene.

A Sad Day for the Judiciary of Bangladesh

The High Court Division of Bangladesh was scheduled to pass a Rule on the President of Bangladesh to show cause why his assumption of office of the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh should not be declared to be illegal and unlawful. The Court had mentioned yesterday that the order will be passed today, without disclosing what the order would be.

In the morning the Attorney General of Bangladesh (”AG”) appeared in court and made an application for the matter to be sent to a larger bench of the High Court. Dr. Kamal Hossain argued that on principle a writ motion hearing is conducted ex parte and the full hearing can be held after the issuance of the Rule. The issuance of the Rule will allow both parties to place their arguments in detail. The Hon’ble Judge Court had informed the open court that the Court was minded to issue a Rule on the President.

At this point the Attorney General informed the court that there is precedence for constitution of a larger Bench. At about 12:30 the AG informed the Court that he was going to come back at 2:00 after the lunch recess and show the Court a previous judgment of the Appellate Division which was relevant for this present case. He urged the Court not to pass any order before that.

At 1:00 the Court was adjourned for lunch and the matter was to be taken up again at 2:00 for passing of the order. During the lunch break the Attorney General was seen, accompanied with a few lawyers (who are former BNP Ministers and Members of Parliament), to enter the Chief Justice’s chamber.

The AG returned to the court at 2:00 and produced a letter signed by the Chief Justice which purportedly revoked the powers of the High Court Division Bench currently hearing the petitions. Upon receipt of this letter the Justices left the Court. Immediately after the Bench was dissolved the former Law Minister Moudud Ahmed was seen in open Court gesturing at Dr.
Hossain that he was going to be beheaded. The conducting lawyers of the petition (Dr. Kamal Hossain, Mr. Amirul Islam, and Mr. Rokonuddin Mahmud) immediately went to the Chief Justice’s Chamber to find out that he had fled the Supreme Court premises.

On hearing that the powers of the High Court Bench had been mysteriously and illegally revoked and that the Chief Justice had fled the Supreme Court premises, the lawyers and other members of the Bangladesh Bar started protesting.

Dr. Kamal Hossain later spoke to other judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and was informed that the decision to revoke the powers of the High Court to hear the writ petition was taken by unilaterally by the Chief Justice. The Appellate Division is a seven member Bench and the Chief Justice presides over the Bench.

It may be mentioned that this kind of action by the Chief Justice is not only unprecedented but against the Constitution and in violation of the High Court Rules of Bangladesh. The Chief Justice has no powers to summarily revoke or stay the powers of any High Court Bench in the middle of a hearing, when the Order is just about to be delivered. This was done with the mala fide intentions of subverting justice.

The Chief Justice has no powers to prevent a High Court Bench from exercising its jurisdiction. It is blatant that the Chief Justice was working on the instructions of the Attorney General which is never a scheme envisaged in the Constitution.

It is a sad day for the Judiciary of Bangladesh. The rule of law has been undermined.