Former Bangladesh Chief Justice Placed on 7-day Remand

DHAKA:
Bangladesh’s former Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Haque was sent on a seven-day remand by a Dhaka court on Wednesday in connection with a case filed over alleged charges of judicial forgery, local media reported.

Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court issued the order following a petition filed by Sub-inspector Khaled Miah of Shahbagh police station seeking a 10-day remand for interrogation.

Meanwhile, no lawyer represented the former Chief Justice Khairul Haque during the hearing, reports the leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.

Last week, Khairul was arrested at his Dhaka residence, police confirmed without giving any specific reason.

Reports suggest that at least two cases were filed against Khairul in different police stations after the interim regime assumed power in Bangladesh.

One of the cases was filed in August of last year by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader and Narayanganj District Bar in connection with Khairul’s verdict, declaring the caretaker government system unconstitutional 13 years ago.

Subsequently, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Dilruba Afroze Tithi passed an order dismissing the case, finding no valid grounds to take cognisance of the charges brought against the former Chief Justice Khairul, local media reported.

Recently, Bangladesh’s Awami League party had condemned the “unjust” arrest of Khairul, the former Chief Justice, who delivered the historic verdict in the Bangabandhu assassination case, describing it as part of the “ongoing repression” under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

Analysts reckon the developments as a major political vendetta being pursued by the Yunus regime, as several cases were filed against the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her supporters, and the working officials during her tenure on frivolous grounds immediately following her ouster in August 2024.

The unceremonious exit of Hasina last August was globally seen as a major setback to the democratic set-up in the country. The interim government has also received massive criticism for providing shelter to radical and extremist Islamic outfits.