Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday hinted at bringing an amendment to the constitution for empowering parliament to impeach the judges of Supreme Court. The premier also ruled out any possibility of dialogue with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) regarding the next parliamentary polls and asked her arch rival to wait for the next elections, to be held as per theconstitution. Briefing reporters at her official residence Gana Bhaban on the outcome of her recent London tour, the premier answered questions on BNP’s threat to wage movement after Eid, Tarique Rahman’s meeting in Saudi Arabia, Girl Summit, amendment to the constitution and bringing the killers of Bangabandhu back home. “The House should have the power to impeach the judges of the Supreme Court as it represents the people,” Hasina said while responding to a question. “Military rulers formed the Supreme Judicial Council. The issue has been raised as the system does not go with democracy. It is justified to empower parliament in impeaching the judges,” she said. The premier said many are talking about reviving the article of the 1972 constitution as the country is being run democratically. Country’s first constitution empowered parliament to impeach the judges of the apex court but military ruler Ziaur Rahman cancelled the power through forming the Supreme Judicial Council. In the 1972 constitution, the article 96 allowed Parliament to impeach Supreme Court judges for proven offences or incapability by the vote of a two-thirds majority. The issue of reviving this authority came into focus after the Awami League took office in the last term. “The issue had come up then. And now, many including the Law Commission and Human Rights Commission have given their opinions,” she said. In 2012, some MPs called for the removal of a High Court judge after a series of events around the remark of the then Speaker and incumbent President Abdul Hamid. The matter was also discussed when the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was underway, although the article was not restored. The Law Commission in June submitted a report containing some recommendations to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. When her attention was drawn centring her meeting with British premier David Cameron, the premier said the United Kingdom did not reject the January 5 elections and was not in a confusion to recognise Sheikh Hasina as premier. “The British premier did not reject the government. Discussions featuring participatory elections…. uncontested elections may take place….but the British premier has been looking forward,” she said. Quoting the British premier, Hasina said, “What happened…It’s done. We do not want to look back.” The premier also said if the UK government had any sort of confusion, its premier would not make phone calls to invite her to attend the programme. She also said that the British premier himself received her at 10 Downing Street. Responding to a question on BNP’s threat to wage movement after the Eid demanding an interim election under a non-partisan government, the premier asked the BNP to take the street. “Let them take the street. Awami League and people are there. See them in the field,” she said, claiming that the BNP made a mistake politically by boycotting the polls. She said BNP missed the train and why the nation would pay for their mistake. “The train has gone. They will have to wait for another train,” she said. Sounding a note of warning, the premier said stern actions would be taken if any sort anarchy is created in the name of movement. “It is my responsibility to ensure security of lives and property of the countrymen. Their movement means killing and mayhem. Will the government see such type of movement? We will take appropriate action,” she said. Portraying the BNP’s movement before the January 5 elections, the premier said their movement meant killing people through arson. “They set buses, vessels and coaches of train on fire in the name of movement. Why will the government witness such type of movement?” she posed a question. Regarding the dialogue, the premier reminded of her long telephonic conversation with BNP chief Khaleda Zia before the January 5 elections. “Why so much talks about dialogue? We tried for the dialogue. Why do you want to humiliate me further?” she said. “The elections were held and people accepted it. Voter turnout was 40 percent,” she said. The premier considered BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s statement—another 15 August may be staged—as a threat of killing. “Through the threat, they proved that Ziaur Rahman and his family were linked with the assassination of Bangabandhu. They issued such threats after making a plan of killing,” she said. The premier said she received such threats for several times in the past. “But I do not afraid of such threat. I do not die before the death,” she said. Responding to another question, the premier slammed USA and Canada for playing dual roles. Asked about the government’s efforts to bring back the murderers of Bangabandhu, she said, “Nur (Nur Chowdhury) is in Canada, Rashed (Rashed Chowdhury) and some others are in USA. Their deportation is up to them (USA and Canada).” “They’re democratic nations. They pass judgement on the validity of our elections. But at the same time they shelter murderers. They follow double standard policies,” she said. The premier dismissed the allegation of her party and government’s underhand dealing with Jamaat, saying that Awami League works for the country and it does not do politics of underhand dealing. “What is Awami League to get from Jamaat? We arrested them for the war crimes trial and some of them got punished,” she said. Regarding the slow progress of war crimes trial, the premier said, “It is not my responsibility to hang the criminals. It is the subject of the judiciary to award verdicts while the executive just executes the verdict.”
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