[vinnomot] The Appellate Division has put the last nail in human rights coffin

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

[vinnomot] The Appellate Division has put the last nail in human rights coffin

The qualities of the Supreme Court -- authority, fortitude, heroism -- sound like the qualities of an autocrat. At this time, Bangladesh needs a Chief Justice like late Chief Justice Syed M. Morshed with strength and courage, but the humility to admit that the present CJ is on the wrong course(his term will be over on May 31,2008).

Bangladesh's courts can do nothing during this EPR. We have to get out of this mess ourselves. And then we have to see about maybe getting some spinal transplantation surgeries for our Supreme Court judges. Maybe then they could become more like former Pakistan Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chowdhury.

Institution after institution have failed in Bangladesh -- the presidency, caretaker government and the judiciary. They all endorsed a war to rid Bangladesh of different things like corruption, while trying to keep the same spoils for themselves.

Many reform critics are no different, who are so hyped on their own sanctimony that they will obliterate distinctions, punishing their friends for apostasy and, by so doing, aiding their enemies. If that's going to be the case, then Bangladesh is in a war it's critics will lose twice -- once because they couldn't stop it and again at the polls and in handing over power to another group after having caused further damage to institutions, accountability, and transparency.

We hope once thing will get rolling toward free and fair judiciary, public confidence will be established and the transition to democracy, human rights will take place in a really meaningful manner. At least, the higher courts which are the last resort of protecting the human rights and will not put nails in its coffin.

Gopal Sengupta

Canada

gopalsengupta@aol.com

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