Bangladesh News

Law Minister Moudud Ahmed said in the parliament yesterday that former chief justice KM Hasan was involved with the politics of BNP in 1979.

He however vouched for the former chief justice’s professional integrity, who is most likely to be the chief of the next caretaker government.

The law minister said, “KM Hasan is very competent and was one of the best judges of the Supreme Court.”

Lawmakers of the ruling BNP and main opposition Awami League once again locked horns in the parliament yesterday over Justice KM Hasan’s political affiliation.

At one point of the debate Awami League (AL) lawmakers walked out of the House protesting against the law minister’s ‘free style’ speech.

During almost an hour-long unscheduled debate, AL lawmakers alleged that KM Hasan has been a controversial figure since he joined BNP and he failed to carry out his duty as a judge because he felt too embarrassed to preside over the hearing of Bangabandhu murder case.

Subjects of the debate that followed ranged from the price hike of essentials, to the ongoing crisis of power supply and also Sheikh Hasina’s recent speech where she called upon the people to come to Dhaka with oars and sticks if KM Hasan takes charge of the next caretaker government as its chief.

During a point of order, AL lawmaker Rohomot Ali began the debate by saying, “KM Hasan was international affairs secretary of BNP and he was appointed as chief justice by superseding two other justices in the Appellate Division. So he has been controversial from the beginning.”

Speaker Jamir Uddin Sircar in his ruling said, “He (Hasan) was also superseded by others.”

Taking the floor AL lawmaker Suranjit Sen Gupta said, “Hasan was politicised in the past. He is politicised now and will remain politicised in the future.”

“If a man is politicised, he cannot be neutral and the caretaker government will not be neutral under him if he leads it,” he added.

Replying to the opposition’s speeches Law Minister Moudud Ahmed in his almost 25-minute speech said, “I admit that he was involved with politics and was a member of a political party in 1979. But during his professional career there was no allegation against him and he was one of the best judges in the Supreme Court. Even prominent lawyers like Dr Kamal Hossain and Rokanuddin Mahmud litigated in his court but never complained about his judicial integrity.”

“There is no connection between KM Hasan and increasing of the age limit for justices,” he said adding that Awami Legaue does not want a dialogue and electoral reforms, it only wants to obstruct the electoral process.

During the law minister’s speech AL lawmakers led by the deputy leader of the opposition walked out of the House protesting the minister’s ‘long speech’ in the name of a point of order.

Earlier, Agriculture Minister MK Anwar said, “There is a tradition in courts of feeling embarrassed and the allegation against KM Hasan has been made totally out of the context.”

“The opposition is criticising the chief election commissioner but I want to know what he did wrong?” he questioned.

AL lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said the severe crisis of electricity have been hampering the public life, while persons affiliated with the ruling party have looted about Tk 14 thousand crore in the last five years from the power sector.

Another AL lawmaker Shahjahan Khan said the people are suffering due to the price hike of essentials and the government totally failed to control the market.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition Abdul Hamid, AL lawmaker Mahbubur Rahman, Post and Telecommunications Minister Aminul Haque, and BNP lawmakers Nurul Islam Moni, Gazi Shahjahan, and Mahfuzullah Farid also took part in the debate.