Moudud remarks motivated: Shafique
Friday, 24 July 2009
Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed Thursday alleged that Barrister Moudud Ahmed is trying to mislead the nation by making motivated remarks on the appointment of new judges to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, reports BSS.
"The President has appointed four judges to the Appellate Division following all procedures and in consultation with the Chief Justice," the Law Minister told a press briefing at his office in the city Thursday.
The Law Minister said the appointments were made with a view to speedily disposing of the cases now pending in the division including the appeal of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib murder case.
Replying to a question about Moudud's statement on Bangabandhu killing case, the Law Minister said: "His remark is not unlikely, as he was also a beneficiary of the August 15, 1975 changeover."
He alleged that Moudud did not take any steps as the law minister of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government to hold the appeal hearing of the Bangabandhu killing case.
"He was requested to appoint necessary number of judges to the Appellate Division on ad-hoc basis to hear the appeal, but he denied," Shafique alleged.
The Law Minister said even the then chief justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury proposed to appoint necessary judges on ad-hoc basis, which he explained in his farewell speech but was ignored.
"Those who rehabilitated killers of the Father of the Nation by giving them jobs in Bangladesh missions abroad can try to confuse the common people, but the nation will not be misled," he said.
He said proper steps would be taken soon to initiate the appeal hearing on the Bangabandhu killing case.
The Law Minister said he had discussed with the chief justice to set up a separate secretariat under the Supreme Court so that the function related to judges of the lower judiciary could be conducted speedily as the judiciary was separated from the executive.
He said the present government appointed new judges to the High Court Division aimed at removing the case jam in the higher judiciary. "More judges will be appointed to the High Court Division to reduce the number of pending cases and steps will be taken after consultation with the chief justice," he said.
"The President has appointed four judges to the Appellate Division following all procedures and in consultation with the Chief Justice," the Law Minister told a press briefing at his office in the city Thursday.
The Law Minister said the appointments were made with a view to speedily disposing of the cases now pending in the division including the appeal of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib murder case.
Replying to a question about Moudud's statement on Bangabandhu killing case, the Law Minister said: "His remark is not unlikely, as he was also a beneficiary of the August 15, 1975 changeover."
He alleged that Moudud did not take any steps as the law minister of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government to hold the appeal hearing of the Bangabandhu killing case.
"He was requested to appoint necessary number of judges to the Appellate Division on ad-hoc basis to hear the appeal, but he denied," Shafique alleged.
The Law Minister said even the then chief justice Mahmudul Amin Chowdhury proposed to appoint necessary judges on ad-hoc basis, which he explained in his farewell speech but was ignored.
"Those who rehabilitated killers of the Father of the Nation by giving them jobs in Bangladesh missions abroad can try to confuse the common people, but the nation will not be misled," he said.
He said proper steps would be taken soon to initiate the appeal hearing on the Bangabandhu killing case.
The Law Minister said he had discussed with the chief justice to set up a separate secretariat under the Supreme Court so that the function related to judges of the lower judiciary could be conducted speedily as the judiciary was separated from the executive.
He said the present government appointed new judges to the High Court Division aimed at removing the case jam in the higher judiciary. "More judges will be appointed to the High Court Division to reduce the number of pending cases and steps will be taken after consultation with the chief justice," he said.