Dhaka, 01 Jan – The Supreme Court Day will be celebrated for the first time Tuesday amid the vacancy of in the post of chief justice of the apex court of Bangladesh.President Abdul Hamid will attend the meeting as the chief guest, while Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah and other judges of the Appellate and High Court Division will be present.
The Supreme Court authorities will organise a meeting at the Supreme Court Judges Complex in the afternoon today to observe the Supreme Court Day.
President Abdul Hamid is scheduled to attend the meeting as the chief guest, while Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, who is performing functions of the chief justice, other judges of both the Appellate and High Court divisions and senior lawyers of the Supreme Court will attend the occasion.
The SC authorities at a full court meeting on October 25 decided to observe the “Supreme Court Day” on December 18 every year, as the SC had started its first judicial functions on December 18 as per the constitution of the republic after its Independence.
But, the SC authorities in the same meeting decided to celebrate the Supreme Court Day for this year on January 2, as the court has earlier been scheduled to remain on its annual vacation on December 18.
Meanwhile, senior lawyers of the Supreme Court in a statement welcomed the Supreme Court authority for taking the maiden initiative to observe the day.
However, the apex court lawyers also said that the Supreme Court authority will observe the Supreme Court Day at a time when the post of the chief justice is remain vacant, who is the main guardian of the judiciary.
They also urged the executive authorities to refrain from making supremacy over the judiciary so that the judiciary can play its due role to ensure the rule of law in the country in accordance with the Masder Hossain Case, popularly known as judiciary separation case from the executive.
They hope that the authorities concerned would respect the apex court by implementing its directives relating to the judiciary separation case from executive, according to the statement, which was signed by senior lawyers Dr Kamal, Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, Barrister M Amir-ul Islam, Mainul Hossain, AFM Hassan Arif and Fida M Kamal.
Citing many apex court’s landmark verdicts, the statement said that there is no alternative to ensure the fundamental rights of the people without establishing the independent and separate structure for the judiciary in accordance with constitutional provision. – Staff Reporter
