Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha yesterday called upon politicians and ministers to refrain from making comments that could create a lack of trust among the people about the judiciary.
He said politicians term judiciary an organ of the government which is not correct.
“The judiciary is an organ of the state. Everybody should remain cautious about making comments to ensure that the judiciary is not undermined and its dignity is not damaged,” the chief justice said.
The warning came after a Supreme Court bench headed by the chief justice accepted BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s explanation on his recent comments about the judiciary. The BNP leader on February 7 told a meeting in Sylhet that the government was trying to control the judiciary.
On February 18, the court asked Fakhrul to give an explanation for his comments.
His counsels later submitted an affidavit, explaining his comments.
The apex court yesterday said citizens have to abide by the judiciary if they want to abide by the country’s constitution, but lawyers, ministers and politicians have been found talking against the judiciary.
The court pointed out the tenth paragraph of Fakhrul’s explanation where he said the judiciary was failing to work independently.
His counsel Zainul Abedin claimed that his client did not say that and some newspapers had misquoted the speech.
He said rejoinders had been served to the newspapers and they had already printed that.
But the court said the rejoinder was served on February 27, after the court had sought explanation from Fakhrul, and not before that.
After the hearing, Additional Attorney General Murad Reza told reporters the court had firmly announced that the judiciary was totally independent and impartial, and that there was no pressure from anyone on the judiciary.
He said the court cautioned Fakhrul not to make any controversial, contemptuous and fabricated comment about the judiciary and the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by the chief justice extended Fakhrul’s bail for 15 days in three cases filed over arson and vandalism charges in response to three petitions filed by him seeking extension of bail.
