Abolishing SC Secretariat a ‘slap in the face’ of judicial independence: Shishir Manir

Lawyer and Jamaat-e-Islami central executive council
member Shishir Manir has described the government’s move to abolish the Supreme
Court Secretariat and place judges under the Law Ministry as “a slap in the
face” of judicial independence.
Speaking at a press conference at Jamaat’s Moghbazar
central office in Dhaka today, he said the abolition of the judicial
secretariat had blocked the path to an independent judiciary and undermined public
confidence in the justice system.
On Tuesday, a gazette notification issued by the law
ministry reassigned 15 judicial service officials and judges working under the
now-defunct Supreme Court Secretariat back to the ministry.
Shishir further said various initiatives had been
taken since independence to ensure judicial independence, though they remained
largely unimplemented for years.
“We have no objection to judicial independence
regardless of who benefits from a verdict. But transferring judges, denying
promotions or sending them to remote districts cannot be the character of an
independent judiciary,” he added.
The Jamaat leader said powers relating to judges’
transfers, leave, promotions and discipline should remain entirely under the
Supreme Court to ensure judicial independence.
The press conference was moderated by Jamaat Assistant
Secretary General and head of its publicity department Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair.
Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, executive council member
Mobarak Hossain and Dhaka North publicity and media secretary Ataur Rahman
Sarkar were also present.















