DHAKA: Pro-BNP lawyers have met with the Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain to raise objections over the shifting of court in prison to conduct trial of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Charitable Trust case. 

On Sunday (September 9), they submitted a written petition to Chief Justice to look into the matter.

On Sept 4, The Law Ministry issued a gazette notification. It said that the makeshift trail court, which was set up in Bakshibazar handling Khaleda Zia’s Charitable Trust case, has been shifted to prison premises of Dhaka Central Jail due to security reasons.

BNP chairperson’s lawyers Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Barrister Jamiruddin Sarkar, AJ Mohammad Ali, Zainul Abedin, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Mir Nasir Uddin and Barrister Badruddoza Badal placed the application before CJ.

Later, Zainul Abedin told reporters:  “Supreme Court is the guardian of the constitution and Chief Justice is the guardian of the Supreme Court. It is the Supreme Court's power. We are saying that a court notification cannot be issued without consultation with the Supreme Court.”

“We told the Chief Justice, you are the guardian of the judicial. We believe that you must have supremacy and the Supreme Court must have supremacy after the Masdar Hossain case. So it is very sad that the law ministry would issue such a gazette notification without consultation with you. A court can not be shifted without your consultation.” he said.

“He (CJ) listened to us patiently for 45 minutes. Hopefully, he will consider the matter. He (CJ) said, ‘I will look into it,’” Zainul Abedin added.

In response to this petition, Law Minister Anisul Haque said, “If they said so, I would say that they (Khaleda’s lawyers) don’t know the law.”

BDST: 1921 HRS, SEP 9, 2018

AH/AP