BNP on Friday questioned whether Law Minister Anisul Huq has committed a contempt of court by calling illegal a High Court verdict that declared illegal the 16th amendment to the constitution.

 

Speaking at a discussion, BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan also urged the apex court to take the matter into its consideration, UNB reports.

 

Islamic Party, one of the components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the first death anniversary of its late chairman Abdul Mobin.

 

“The Law Minister has said the High Court verdict is unconstitutional. Does the court now conduct unconstitutional acts? Isn’t it a contempt of court? 

 

He further said, “When any of its verdict is called unconstitutional, I think, the court should take cognisance of the matter.”

 

Earlier on Thursday, the High Court declared the 16th amendment to the Constitution establishing Parliament's power to remove the Supreme Court judges illegal and contradictory to the national charter.

 

Hours after the HC judgment, Law Minister Anisul Huq, while placing a bill in parliament said, “The judgment is against the constitution. The High Court doesn't have the jurisdiction to deliver this verdict.”

 

On September 17, 2014, the Jatiya Sangsad passed the ‘Constitution (16th Amendment) Bill, 2014’ without any opposition, empowering Parliament to impeach judges of the Supreme Court due to their incapacity or misconduct.

 

Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, said the government should resign when the High Court annulled a constitutional amendment it passed in the current parliament.

 

Referring  to the annulment of the 8th amendment by the apex court during HM Ershad regime, he said, all the opposition political parties, including AL and BNP, on a movement at that time had demanded that the government the law of which was turned down by a court had no right to stay in office.

 

“Had we made mistakes and lied during the annulment of the 8th amendment? If it was right at that time what would happen to this government now as the court declared illegal 16th amendment passed by it?” the BNP leader questioned.

 

Nazrul also observed that the way now incidents of killing, enforced disappearance and repression on opposition are taking place that have outshined Ershad’s autocratic rule.