Attorney General Mahabubey Alam has criticised Dr Kamal Hossain and Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam for teaming up with Khandker Mahbub Hossain, who defends Jamaat-e-Islami leaders accused of war crimes, against the government’s initiative to restore Parliament’s power to impeach judges.
The state’s top lawyer said at a discussion on Thursday that the two were blessed by none other than Bangladesh’s founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Who are they allying with,” he asked, “those who hold media conferences for the war criminals!”
Alam wondered why the two had taken an U-turn now.
Kamal Hossain was the chairman and Amir-Ul Islam the member of the committee that drafted Bangladesh’s first Constitution in 1972.
“They didn’t talk about Article 96 then but why now?” asked the top lawyer.
Article 96 empowered Parliament to remove judges. But the power was bestowed on the president through the 4th Amendment.
However, under BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s military regime, a Supreme Judicial Council was formed by scrapping the 4th Amendment.
The 16th Amendment Bill, aimed at restoring Parliament’s power to remove judges, has already been tabled and is expected to be pushed through in the current session.
The BNP has criticised the move, claiming the government wanted to impose itself on the judiciary with the help of that legislation.
Apart from BNP-affiliated lawyers, former Awami League leader Kamal Hossain and the ruling party-affiliated lawyer Amir among others, have protested against it.
They openly criticised the initiative at a programme on Tuesday. Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman and Supreme Court Bar Association chief Khandker Mahbub Hossain was present there.
Khandker Mahbub is representing Jamaat leaders at the war crimes tribunals and at the Appellate Division. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam is assisting the prosecution.
Alam wondered why Kamal Hossain and Amir-Ul Islam were rallying behind Khandker Mahbub.
“Those who have imposed on them are not pro-liberation forces, they are followers of [war criminals] Abdul Quader Molla, Delwar Hossain Sayedee and they praise Ghulam Azam,” he said.
The attorney general referred to other countries like the UK, US, India, Italy, Japan where parliament has the power to remove judges.
He brushed off the BNP’s fears that the power would be misused.
“Not a single judge was removed when the law was in force after 1972,” he said.
Source: Bd news24
