The country needs to protect democracy first to protect independence of the judiciary and rule of law, former caretaker government adviser barrister Moinul Hossain said.
“Thinking about protecting independence of the judiciary by killing democracy is like watering a tree after uprooting it,” he told a discussion organised to mark the eighth anniversary of separation of the judiciary from the executive.
Rights group Humanity Foundation organised the event at the National Press Club.
Terming the present government jocular, the eminent jurist said that the government was playing double role in politics – both as the opposition and the ruler. “It is like eating both the banana and the milk together,” he said.
Moinul also criticised reporters and lawyers for acting as party supporters whereas they were supposed to protect democracy. “Nowadays, some lawyers and journalists have become part of the forces who are trying to destroy democracy,” he added.
“They cannot do like this … Even the Press Club and the Supreme Court lawyers’ forum have factions. If they are divided by the Awami League and the BNP, how will the people become powerful then?” he questioned.
Several speakers at the function alleged that the judiciary was still dependent on the executive on some issues.
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury said that the government had not implemented the 12-point directives of the apex court mentioned in the verdict of separating the judiciary.
“It is a bad luck for the country. The magistracy has been separated but their appointment, transfer and promotion are kept under the executive control,” he added.
The programme was chaired by Humanity Foundation Chairman AI Mahbub Uddin Ahmed. Bangladesh Bank’s ex-governor Salehuddin Ahmed moderated the event while Bangla newspaper the daily Prothom Alo’s Joint Editor Mizanur Rahman Khan presented the keynote paper.
