President clears way for CJ to go to Australia

The Law Ministry has issued a gazette notification on the government order about Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha’s leaving for Australia. The ministry issued the gazette on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, President Abdul Hamid signed the government order [GO file], granting the chief justice the permission to leave Bangladesh for Australia. Following the issuance of gazette, Surendra Kumar Sinha will be free to leave Dhaka for Australia anytime. However, he had written to the president last Tuesday, mentioning his plans to leave country on October 13. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Anisul Huq signed the government order file. Earlier in an interview to India’s WION, Justice Sinha said: "If I get the permission of the government, then I will go to Australia," He, however, declined to go into details as to why he wanted to visit Australia and for how long he would be there. It could be mentioned, Surendra Kumar Sinha went on a one month leave from October 3, citing health complications. A faction of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and several opposition party leaders claimed that the chief justice is being forcibly sent on leave due to his stance on the 16th amendment to the constitution and criticism over the delay for issuance of gazette on rules for lower court judges’ conduct.

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However, both the government and the ruling party Awami League have denied these speculations. No statement regarding the matter has been released by the chief justice or the court as yet. Meanwhile, the Australian High Commission granted the Surendra’s application last Sunday, and gave him and his wife visa for 3 years. Last Tuesday, the chief justice wrote to the president through the law ministry, detailing his plans to visit Australia. The letter mentions Surendra’s plans to stay in Australia from October 13 to November 10. The procedures for issuing a government order started as soon as the letter reached the law ministry.