BNP-leaning United Lawyers’ Forum to boycott Chief Justice's reception

The United Lawyers Front (ULF), a front of BNP-leaning lawyers, has announced it will boycott the reception of the country's 24th Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, citing various engagements since his appointment as objectionable.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at the South Hall of the Supreme Court Bar Association on Tuesday.

In a written statement, Front Convener and BNP Vice-Chairman Advocate Zainul Abedin said, "The ad-hoc committee of The Supreme Court Bar Association of Bangladesh has already decided to boycott the so-called reception of the Chief Justice at the Court Room-1 of the Appellate Division on behalf of the members of the Bar on 8 October and the subsequent courtesy meeting of the respected judges with the members of the Bar."

"The ULF expresses its deepest regret with the decision of the Supreme Court Bar to boycott the so-called reception on October 8 with the aim of restoring the dignity, dignity, dignity of the post of Chief Justice and the confidence of the people of Bangladesh in the judiciary. A protest march and lawyers' rally will be held from 10 am to 1 pm in support of the decision to boycott the Supreme Court Bar Premises on 8 October," he said.

"All the people of the country, including the lawyers of the Supreme Court Bar, expected Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan to maintain the dignity and long-standing judicial tradition of the supreme chair of the court. Although his political past and as a lawyer in the bar, his regular participation in all kinds of activities of the current government and the ruling party is known to the legal community," said the BNP leader.

"Since the appointment of the Chief Justice of Bangladesh, at one stage he received floral greetings from the president and general secretary of the student organization of the ruling party and the central committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League, whose pictorial reports were widely circulated in the media and social media," Zainul said.

"This is an unprecedented event in the 52-year history of the Supreme Court and, in the words of senior lawyers, a moment of extreme pain for the judiciary," he added.

"Not only that, two days after taking the oath, the legal community of Bangladesh has been disappointed and surprised by the picture of the Chief Justice receiving a large "sword" as a gift from controversial police officer, lawyer abuser and regular human rights violator DB Harun at a reception of a district association. The reception and various statements have raised questions about the highest constitutional judicial post like the Chief Justice," he also said.

"Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan has damaged the dignity and dignity of neutral posts like the Chief Justice by accepting reception from the Awami League. This deepens the public's distrust of the judiciary. The judiciary will be plunged into a deep crisis. Nevertheless, we believe that as the head of the judiciary on behalf of any party, you will have a responsibility to remain neutral and maintain the independence of the judiciary in order to make this organization reflect the will of the people," Zainul also said.

ULF co-convener Subrata Chowdhury, BNP legal affairs secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal, senior advocate AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal and Adv Mohsen Rashid were present at the press conference, among others.