Seven ex-SC judges sued for contempt of court
Among them are three former chief justices
FE REPORT | Thursday, 29 August 2024
A contempt-of-court petition has been filed with the High Court division of the Supreme Court against seven former Appellate Division judges, including three former Chief Justices (CJs).
The judges are--- former Chief Justices Syed Mahmud Hossain, Hasan Foez Siddique and Obaidul Hassan, Appellate Division judges--- Muhammad Imman Ali, Mirza Hussain Haider, Abu Bakar Siddiquee and Md Nuruzzaman.
Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond filed the petition on Wednesday as the judges suspended him from practicing legal profession and fined him following an allegation of contempt of court.
The contempt petition said, "These seven judges convicted me in a contempt of court allegation by abusing their power and without giving any opportunity to defend myself. This is unconstitutional and violation of "The Contempt of Court Act, 1926".
In the petition, lawyer Eunus Ali mentioned about two sentences given to him. In an order issued on September 12, 2020, the apex court suspended him from practicing legal profession for three months.
And in another order on September 27, 2020, it issued a rule against lawyer Eunus Ali without hearing him and suspending him from legal practice.
In the petition the lawyer said, "A High Court bench can sentence an accused if an allegation of contempt of court is proved under the law, however, the apex court cannot do it. And only Bangladesh Bar Council can suspend a lawyer from practicing the profession under Section 32 of the Bar Council Act."
The petition further said, "These judges forced me to cease practicing law profession by issuing interim injunction without holding hearing from me by abusing their power and violating their oaths, which is a clear violation of Article 11 of the Constitution."