Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman on Wednesday stated that the country needs to revert to the caretaker government (CG) system to ensure a sustainable democracy, as the verdict that annulled the 13th amendment has undermined the country's basic constitutional structure.
"We believe the verdict that annulled the 13th amendment has undermined the basic structure of the constitution. That verdict is like a cancer and needs to be scrapped. It has already been proven that, due to the abolition of the caretaker government system, our electoral process, democracy, voting rights, rule of law and other constitutional institutions have been destroyed," he told reporters.
The chief state counsel made the comment while speaking to reporters after the apex court earlier in the day granted leave to hear an appeal against its judgment that abolished the poll-time non-party caretaker government (CG) system.
The Attorney General further said: "At the appeal hearing on October 21, our prayer will be to scrap the verdict that annulled the 13th amendment and thereby reopen the doors of democracy for the people of Bangladesh. I will also pray that the offence committed by the then Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque - from the writing of the verdict to the signing of it - be taken into account, as it constitutes a specific offence under Section 219 of the Penal Code. We will bring this to the court's notice."
The Appellate Division full-bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, passed its order, fixing October 21 for holding a hearing on the matter.
The apex court passed the order after holding a hearing on review petitions pleading for restoration of the 13th amendment to the constitution and reinstatement of the poll-time non-party caretaker government system.
Senior advocates Zainul Abedin, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir took part in the hearing for the pleas. Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman stood for the state.
