Blitz Editorial

Apology won’t be sufficient for court vandalize

Judges in the highest judiciary in Bangladesh decided to abstain from attending their courts protesting recent vandalize and notoriety inside the court premises by some lawyers and hired miscreants, which has definitely tarnished the image of the institution at home and abroad. The Chief Justice Syed J.R. Modasser Hussain very rightly sat with his colleagues in a meeting on Tuesday and decided to refrain from attending the court unless there is an apology from the perpetrators and proper legal protection for the members of the highest judiciary in the country. It is good to know that a sedition case has already been lodged with the police station, and we certainly believe that law enforcing agencies will take immediate steps in arresting the culprits and bringing them to justice, without considering how influential or famous they are. But, here a question remains that, the highest judiciary finally had to seek asylum in police station, when they have earlier issued suo-moto rule on several occasions, which ever was deemed by the court to be an act of dishonor. This time’s audacity that took place right inside the Chief Justice’s court room as well in the court premises, its magnitude surpasses any past instances. Should we simply recollect the recent past incident when a judge of the highest judiciary was not shown honor by a police and later it not only caused a departmental punishment for the police for his offense but even the inspector general of police had to lose his job being convicted for this specific crime. I certainly salute that honorable judge, who was able to show to the society that such positions in the highest judicial system in the country are certainly dignified and of highest esteem. We have witnessed that well-known lawyer like Barrister Rokon Uddin Mahmood passed offensive remarks on the Chief Justice, which is almost equal to that of Islamist militant group’s denouncing the existing judicial system of the country. Rokon’s remarks were both telecast on country’s electronic media and quoted in print media as well. Moreover, a section of the press have started criticizing country’s highest judiciary in different ways, which shall in future, very certainly put the dignity and honor of the entire institution into a big question mark. Possibly the esteemed members of the highest judicial system in the country will take this matter into their consideration.

There is news that a section of lawyers are boycotting the highest judiciary in Bangladesh demanding resignation of the Chief Justice. We definitely believe that the CJ will not step down under any such pressure from a particular group of lawyers who are serving the purpose of a specific political party. Rather, the esteemed judged should boycott those lawyers for openly expressing their distrust and dishonor to the highest judiciary of the country. As we know, one of the basic pillars of democracy is judicial system. And some unscrupulous elements are active in screwing up country’s very democracy by putting each of the pillars into question. The ultimate goal of the conspirators is to turn Bangladesh into a failed state, which we should not allow to happen under any circumstance.

Part 2: A Story to Tell

Sirajul Islam writes for Blitz                                                     

When I moved to Jessore in 1992 to do my fourth job at Jagorani Chakra, a NGO whose working area are the southwest of the country, and a colleague told me there with excitement that I was going to love Jessore because the people and culture are very friendly there........