Bangladesh govt not 'happy' with SC verdict

Dhaka: Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said the government is scutinising the Supreme Court verdict that scrapped the 16th amendment to the Constitution for its next course of action.

"As the government is not happy with the verdict, so we're currently scrutinising the full verdict of the Supreme Court to reach a decision whether we'll file any review petition or not," he said.

Anisul was addressing a press conference at his ministry to voice his formal reaction to the Supreme Court verdict on the 16th amendment to the Constitution.

"Although we've disagreement with the verdict, but I have respect for the verdict delivered by the Supreme Court," Huq said.

He said the reasons for which the Supreme Court scrapped the 16th amendment to the constitution are not acceptable to the government.
"We'll take initiatives to expunge the objectionable and irrelevant statements made in the judgment of the Chief Justice."

"We're surprised at the observation of the Chief Justice that article 116 is contrary to the constitution going beyond 'Fact in Issue' of the case," said Anisul.

The minister said Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina's government and the Jatiya Sangsad had no intention to curtail the independence of judiciary through any amendment.

"In our consideration through 16th amendment move was taken to strengthen the independence of judiciary. We had passed the 16th amendment aiming to give 'check and balance system' the basic principle of democracy, an institutional shape for making democracy more strong," said Anisul.

"We think the Supreme Judicial Council is an ambiguous and a vulnerable system. We believe the independence and security of job of the judges of the Supreme Court were protected by changing the system," he said.

The minister said parliament did not appear in a power contest with judiciary by passing the 16th amendment.

On August 1 last, the Supreme Court released the full text of its verdict upholding the High Court verdict that declared illegal the 16th Amendment to the Constitution establishing Parliament's authority to remove Supreme Court judges.