Consensus Commission cannot be called a democratic process in any way: Sara Hossain

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Sara Hossain, senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, said that the National Consensus Commission formed during the interim government cannot be called a democratic process in any way.

Sara Hossain said, “It is a selective process. You have sat down and made a decision about some people. Where was the democracy here? What election, who is coming? Who can speak from outside? No one.’

Sara Hossain said this at the round table meeting titled ‘Independence and Reform of the Judiciary: Constitutional Obligations, Court Guidelines and Public Desire’ at the National Press Club on Tuesday. The roundtable was organized by Citizens for Good Governance (Sujan).

Sara Hossain said there was not a single woman member in the Consensus Commission. No women lawyers or judges were included in the Judiciary Reform Commission.

Sara Hossain also commented that the people had no idea about the third question of the referendum. Asking the people present at the roundtable meeting, Sara Hossain said, “You raise your hands and say to me, ‘How many of you can tell me what the 30 proposals were?… I don’t think you know what you voted for.’ But what is the value of voting if I don’t know what I am voting for?’

Sara Hossain also talked about Supreme Court Secretariat Ordinance and Supreme Court Judge Appointment Ordinance. He opined that these two laws of the interim period should be reinstated.

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Sara Hossain cited the example of Chief Justice SK Sinha being forced out of the country during the Awami League period and said, “So many years have passed, no demand has been raised from the civil society, let it be resolved.” Let’s know whose role was there. He also said that judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had to resign in the face of the stand of the students even after the July uprising. In the face of their demands, many judges were suddenly installed, some of them quite competent.

Sara Hossain commented that former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque, who ruled in the Fifteenth Amendment case of the Constitution, was ‘falsely’ implicated in the July murder case. He said, ‘So many months have passed, now there is no charge sheet; Where it is said that Justice Khairul Haque stood there and fired or directed the firing.

Sara Hossain said, ‘Are we opening our mouths about it? Civil society, civil society, Bangladesh Bar Council or Bar Association – no one, everyone is silent.

Retired Justice MA Matin presented the main article in the round table meeting. Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, lawyer Imran Siddiqui, Fahim Mashroor and others also spoke. Sujan editor Badiul Alam Majumder moderated.