SCBA polls now Apr 28-29

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Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) yesterday rescheduled its election for April 28 and 29 following negotiations between lawyer leaders and the government ending a stalemate over the balloting originally slated for yesterday and today.

The SCBA leaders, candidates for the association’s presidency, head of the bar election commission, attorney general and law adviser at a meeting earlier signed a consensus declaration to that end.

The association’s outgoing president, barrister Amir Ul Islam, told The Daily Star that participants at the meeting decided to carry over the date to the last week of April on requests from the government side.

Complications rose after Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Sunday slapped a ban on holding the election for what they said was the SCBA’s not having the permission as required by the emergency power rules.

However, yesterday’s meeting was unanimous in its opinion that there is no need for permission to hold the polls, Barrister Amir added.

The talks were held at a Gulshan guest house since everyone involved preferred a neutral venue. Law Adviser Hassan Ariff was there from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

Five of six presidential candidatesbarrister Shafique Ahmed, Humayun Hossain Khan, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Saifur Reza and Sirajul Islam Khan–were present at the meeting.

Later in the evening, the leaders gathered at the SCBA building where Convener of the election committee Nizamul Haque Nasim announced the new dates.

Attorney General Fida M Kamal was among those present at that time.

Earlier in the morning, a good number of lawyers thronged the SCBA building to cast vote. But the bar leaders told them the voting would remain stalled as they were going to have a meeting with the government. Many of those who massed on the SC premises expressed resentment.

A large contingent of police was deployed to avert anything untoward.

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