Pro-BNP lawyers on Sunday renewed their demand for the arrest of former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque and the removal of the judges loyal to the ousted Awami League regime from the Supreme Court and its subordinate courts.
The demands were made at a press conference organised by the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed lawyers鈥� organisation, at the South Hall of the Supreme Court Bar Association in the capital.
Addressing the press conference, the forum secretary general, Kayser Kamal, announced protest rallies at all district and metropolitan bar associations across the country for April 29 to press home their demands.
He warned that tougher programmes would be announced if their demands were not met.
鈥榃e do not put pressure on judges, as we believe in the rule of law, human rights, and democracy. We want the judiciary to perform its duties impartially and without bias,鈥� the forum鈥檚 central committee president and senior lawyer Zainul Abedin said.
Zainul, also a BNP vice-chairman, said that they had waited for a long time so that the law ministry and the home ministry could take necessary action.
He said that they were now compelled to address the media due to the government鈥檚 inaction.
The accusations are widely known, said Kayser Kamal, responding to a question about the specific allegations against Justice Khairul Haque.
He alleged that Justice Khairul was complicit in the killing of citizens through an Appellate Division verdict that declared the caretaker government system unconstitutional.
Kayser Kamal added that two cases were filed against Justice Khairul Haque for what he described as 鈥榢illing the constitution and democracy.鈥�
鈥楯ustice Khairul is equally responsible for all the crimes for which deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina should be held accountable.
His verdict not only destroyed democracy but also paved the way for Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 fascism,鈥� Kayser Kamal alleged.
He further blamed the law ministry and the home ministry for failing to take action against Justice Khairul despite the pending cases.
Zainul Abedin said that BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had earlier submitted a list of Supreme Court judges in question to chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus for taking necessary action.
