DHAKA: Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict that declared the 16th amendment illegal, BNP spokesperson senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the decision is a victory of the people.

He made the remarks to a press briefing at the party office in city’s Nayapaltan area right after the verdict was pronounced on Monday. 

Rizvi said, the verdict successfully foiled the government’s plot to grip the judiciary and also paved the way for an independent judiciary system and establishing good governance in the country.

Earlier on Monday morning (July 3), a seven-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha, delivered the verdict upholding a High Court’s decision that declared the 16th amendment to the Constitution illegal.

As per the verdict, the parliament has finally lost the power of removing Supreme Court judges. 

The “Constitution (16th Amendment) Bill-2014” was passed in the Parliament on September 17 in 2014. The amendment abolished the Chief Justice-led Supreme Judicial Council system which was introduced in 1978.

Rizvi also told that considering the government-dominated composition of the parliament, it would have been resulted in an ultimate authoritarian government if the SC didn’t declare that amendment illegal.

“Because of that amendment, the ruling party would have gotten chances to create pressure on judges. But this breakthrough decision has put an end to that scenario.”

Finally congratulating the decision, BNP leader said the verdict deeply entrenched the assurance of fair justice in people’s mind.

BDST: 1440 HRS, JULY 3, 2017
AP