AL keeps mum over CJ issue
Hasina directs leaders not
to make any comment
Abu Jakir
The ruling Awami League is yet to react to the letter of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who had dismissed the reports of his ill health saying he is completely in good health. The party high-ups decided not to make any comment over the Chief Justice issue. The decision was taken at a joint meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) and its Advisory Council, held at the party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas official residence Ganabhaban yesterday. The premier Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting that lasted over two hours.
This correspondent contacted over ten central leaders of the party and learned that the party would not give formal or informal reaction to the letter of Chief Justice. Yes, we have discussed the letter of Chief Justice in our ALCWC meeting. Our party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed us not to make any comment over the issue, AL presidium member and former Law Minister Barrister Abdul Matin Khasru told The Independent yesterday night.
AL joint general secretary and former Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni told this correspondent that the party high-ups think that they should not talk over the issue anymore.
Earlier on Friday, while leaving his Hare Road residence for the airport to catch an Australia-bound flight, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha dismissed reports of his ill health saying he is completely in good health.
He had also told newsmen that he was going abroad temporarily to save the judiciary from blemish and will return shortly for the sake of the countrys judiciary.
In a letter handed out to waiting newsmen at the main entrance of his official residence, Sinha said that he is embarrassed at the criticisms levelled at him by the prime minister, ministers, and political leadership over a verdict.
Meanwhile, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, at a city programme yesterday, said the party would discuss both the letters of chief justice in the ALCWC meeting.
We need to discuss both the letters [leave letter and letter to newsmen]. Weve invited the law minister,
Anisul Huq, who unequivocally said the chief justice was sick and sought the leave on health grounds, to the meeting, Quader told reporters after attending a reception programme at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College in the capital.
Also the road transport and bridges minister, Quader went on to say, We will take a decision in this regard in our meeting.
Besides, the meeting sources also said the party finalised a set of proposals which will be submitted before the Election Commission during its talks on October 18.
The party, during its talks with the Election Commission (EC), will propose the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next general elections slated for 2019. The ruling party will also propose to EC that it (EC) will arrange the next polls and it will have all the magistracy power to conduct the polls while the incumbent prime minister Sheikh Hasina will be the head of the election time government, and will extend all-out support to the EC to hold the elections in a free, fair and credible manner.
