Lawyers of the NCP-backed National Lawyers Alliance (NLA) have termed the abolition of the Supreme Court (SC) Secretariat and the subsequent transfer of its officials back to the Law Ministry as a “blueprint” to destroy the independence of the judiciary.
Speaking at a press brief held in front of the Supreme Court Annex Building on Wednesday, NLA leader Zahirul Islam Musa said the move by the BNP government constitutes a “terrible interference” against the long-standing aspirations of both the public and judges for the establishment of a separate and independent secretariat.
Musa highlighted that the Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance was originally formulated in accordance with the directives of the landmark Masdar Hossain case judgment.
He added that the current political government’s “blueprint” to undermine the judicial system has now been exposed to the public, an action the NLA strongly protests.
The NLA leader further noted that the current attorney general had expressed great enthusiasm when the ordinance was first issued.
He added that the current Law Minister, who was the Attorney General at that time, was also intimately involved in the process of drafting the ordinance.
Musa expressed his disappointment regarding the silence of these two key figures on judicial matters and their involvement in the political process, urging them not to implement political agendas against public interest.
He called upon them to honour their “31-point” promise and refrain from attempting to establish a “controlled judiciary”.
Mostofa Azgar Sharifee, the Convener of the NLA’s Supreme Court Unit, pointed out that the Supreme Court Secretariat was established following an ordinance by the interim government.
However, he lamented that the secretariat’s operations have been effectively terminated by directing its officials to return to the Law Ministry.
Sharifee remarked that this order has aggrieved the judiciary, lower court judges, and the general public. He demanded the immediate enactment of an effective law to ensure a transparent, accountable, and truly independent judiciary.
