Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Thursday alleged that Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has been put under 'house arrest' by the government in the name of leave.

Speaking at a seminar here, he said, "The Chief Justice has been placed under house arrest. The government has annihilated the independence of the judiciary by putting him under the house arrest."

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said no one, including lawyers and his relatives, is allowed to meet the Chief Justice. "His land phone connection has also been snapped."

Shikshak-Karmachari Oikya Jote arranged the programme at National Press Club, marking the World Education Day.

The BNP leader also alleged that a plot is on to send Sinha abroad by force only for giving a verdict against the government's will.

Moudud said the language and words the ministers and the ruling party leaders used in attacking the judiciary and the Chief Justice following the 16th amendment verdict are unprecedented. "We had thought the issue would come to an end with the verbal attacks. But, now a one-month leave has been announced on health grounds without his (Sinha's) consent."

He said Sinha recently visited Japan and Canada, but he did not receive any treatment for his ailment. "He's fine physically."

The BNP leader also voiced doubt whether the application for leave shown by the Law Minister was signed by Sinha as there were five mistakes. "A responsible person like him (Sinha) can't sign the application which is full of errors. This is impossible."

The BNP leader also said there is no similarity between Sinha's usual signature and the one shown in the leave application.

The BNP leader said the application Law Minister showed is a fake one. "It's a shameful matter that people are being made confused by giving false information from the highest level of the state. "What I know is that the Chief Justice didn't seek any leave on his own. He has no consent to the leave application."

Moudud, also a former law minister, said no judge will be able to work independently and neutrally applying their conscience after what happened to the Chief Justice. "So, the independence of the judiciary now doesn't exist."
 
He also got emotional while describing the repression on the BNP leaders and activists and their sufferings following the 'false' cases filed against them.