The HC bench with Justice M Nizamul Huq and Justice Zafar Ahmed came up with the posture as the Attorney General Mahbubey Alam informed the court about the government announcement of public holiday today. At that time, Barrister Nazmul Huda was submitting his arguments.
The HC was scheduled to pass its order today (Thursday) in connection with the two writ petitions.
The day’s High Court stand pushed the twin public interest litigation (PIL) writ petitions on tenterhooks as the power of writ jurisdiction of the designated bench was due to run out today.
Amid the worsening political situation, Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akand filed the PIL writ petition on March 14 while Habibul Bashar, editor of daily Morning Post, filed the other on March 18.
The Awami League-led 14-party alliance, the BNP-led 18-party alliance, the Election Commission and the government have been made respondents to the petitions.
The two petitioners also sought the court’s intervention for asking the political parties to refrain from enforcing programmes like shutdown and blockade till disposal of the petitions.
BNP and its allies have been agitating since the government scrapped the caretaker government system for overseeing country’s general elections in compliance with the apex court verdict that declared the system illegal and unconstitutional.
Earlier, on Tuesday, after a preliminary hearing on the two writ petitions, the HC set Wednesday for order. As expelled BNP leader Barrister Nazmul Huda expressed his eagerness to participate in the hearing, the court re-fixed today (Thursday) for its order.
