'If judiciary worked properly, wouldn't need 34 yrs for justice in Bangabandhu killing'

Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim today said if the judiciary and constitution experts would have discharged their duties properly, the nation would not have to wait for 34 years for justice in the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"The Indemnity Ordinance was promulgated during the regime of Ziaur Rahman and under his signature, in order to block the trial of the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The ordinance was turned into a part of the constitution. But the question is -- why the Supreme Court had not issued any suo moto [voluntary] rule questioning the legality of the Indemnity Ordinance. Why the Supreme Court had not ruled the ordinance unconstitutional which blocked the trial of the killing of Bangabandhu and his family members .

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"If the judiciary and constitution experts would have discharged their duties properly, the nation would not have to wait for long 34 years for the justice of the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Why had they not taken any steps to scrap the ordinance?" he said, adding that any law, which is contradictory to the constitution, cannot be formulated according the constitution.

He said this while addressing a meeting organised by Gonotantrik Ainjibi Samilty in memory of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan, a Supreme Court judge, at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium.

Rezaul Karim also said any attempt to grab the states power in violation of the constitution is sedition for which maximum punishment is death penalty.

Former SCBA President M Yusuf Hossain Humayun presided over the meeting where Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, Ain O Salish Kendra Chairperson ZI Khan Panna, SCBA President Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir, and its Secretary Md Abdun Nur Dulal also spoke.