B'desh President Shahabuddin dissolves parliament, clears the way for fresh elections
Dhaka, Aug 6: Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday dissolved the parliament to make way for the formation of an interim administration, a day after prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country following massive protests against her government.
"The President dissolved the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) under an executive order," a Bangabhaban (presidential palace) spokesman told PTI.
"The decision to dissolve the parliament was taken following the president's discussions with chiefs of three staff of armed forces, leaders of different political parties, representatives of civil society and leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement," said a statement issued by the president's office.
Officials said a full-fledged interim government is expected to be announced later Tuesday. The president's move to dissolve the parliament has cleared the way for fresh elections.
The spokesman also said Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief and ex-premier Khaleda Zia was freed from house arrest. The 79-year-old former prime minister has long battled various ailments, including issues related to the kidney, lung and heart.
The process to release those arrested Since July 1 has started, and many have already been released, he added.
The Students Against Discrimination group earlier set a deadline for dissolving the 12th parliament which was formed after the January 7 elections installing Hasina as the premier for the fourth straight term.
In a video posted on social media early Tuesday, Nahid Islam, one of the key coordinators of the movement, proposed Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus as the head of interim government.
He said they have already talked with 84-year-old Yunus, who has agreed to take the responsibility to save Bangladesh.
"No government other than the one proposed by the students will be accepted. As we have said, no military government, or one backed by the military, or a government of fascists, will be accepted," said Nahid, flanked by two other coordinators.
Yunus is currently out of the country but welcomed the ouster of Hasina’s regime, describing the development as the “second liberation" of the country. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his anti-poverty campaign through the Grameen Bank, a mode; which was replicated across continents.
He has agreed to lead the interim government as its chief adviser, the Daily Star reported, citing a source.
"If the students can sacrifice so much, if the people of the country can sacrifice so much, then I also have some responsibility. Then I told the students that I can take the responsibility," Yunus said.
He had been in a protracted row with Hasina’s government due to obscure reasons while authorities initiated a series of investigations against him after she came to power in 2008. He was charged under dozens of cases. In January, Yunus was sentenced to six months in jail by a court on charges of labour law violation.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the anti-government protests on Tuesday climbed to 440, with 100 more deaths reported after Hasina's departure, according to local media, even as efforts were on by the army to bring the situation under control in the violence-hit nation.
Despite the high death toll, there were signs of a return to normalcy on Tuesday, with police and army patrolling the streets, BDNews24.com news portal said.
The situation in Dhaka was largely calm on Tuesday after a day of unrest and a night of tension. Buses and other public transport were on the streets and traders were opening shops. Government vehicles were heading to offices. Many battery-run rickshaws plied the roads, it added.
Additional IGP AKM Shahidur Rahman was on Tuesday appointed as the focal person of the Bangladesh Police. He will act as the coordinator within the police force during this crisis period. The move comes as senior officials of the police force are trying to normalize police operations by overcoming anger, resentment, and fear.
Bengali language daily Prothom Alo reported that at least 109 people were killed in clashes in different parts of the country, including Dhaka, during the anti-discrimination student movement on Monday.
The newspaper earlier reported the death of 98 people till 12 pm on Sunday. Another 16 deaths were reported in the night. The total death toll stood at 114 on Sunday.
"With this, the total death toll stood at 440 in 21 days from July 16 to yesterday,” the paper said.
The clashes between protesters demanding Hasina's resignation over the quota system in government jobs and the ruling Awami League supporters in different parts of Bangladesh erupted on Sunday days after more than 200 people were killed in violent clashes between police and mostly student protesters in July.
As the news of Hasina’s departure spread on Monday, hundreds of people broke into her residence, vandalising and looting the interiors, providing dramatic expression to the anti-government protests.
Hasina's private residence Sudha Sadan and other establishments were attacked, vandalised and set on fire in the capital. The residences and business establishments of ministers, party MPs and leaders of Hasina's Awami League government were also attacked in Dhaka and outside Dhaka.
At least 24 people were burnt alive last night in a hotel owned by a leader of Awami League in western Joshor district, hospital sources said.
The educational institutions were reopened on Tuesday following a long period of closure due to violence surrounding the student movement. However, the educational institutions in Dhaka saw low attendance, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
Attendance in the ministry offices was significantly low, and ministers and Members of Parliament were notably absent. Those who did come to work were filled with fear and anxiety, it added.
Army members were seen on duty alongside police officers at the Home Ministry office.
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Pressure groups trying to use social media to affect outcome of cases: Ex CJI Chandrachud
New Delhi, Nov 24: Former Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Sunday said social media is being used by special interest groups to influence outcome of cases and judges need to be wary of them.
He also noted that people nowadays want to form an opinion on the basis of 20 seconds they see on YouTube or any other social media platform, saying it poses a great danger.
"Today there are special interest groups, pressure groups who are trying to use social media to affect the minds of the courts and the outcomes of cases. Every citizen is entitled to understand what is the basis of a decision and to express their opinions on the decisions of the court. But when this goes beyond the decisions of the court and targets individual judges, then it sort of raises fundamental questions about - Is this truly freedom of speech and expression?" he said.
"Everybody, therefore wants to form an opinion in 20 seconds of what they see on YouTube or any social media platform. This poses a grave danger because the process of decision-making in the courts is far more serious. It is really nuanced that nobody has the patience or the tolerance today on social media to understand, and that is a very serious issue that is confronting the Indian judiciary," he said while speaking at NDTV India's Samvidhan@75 Conclave.
"Judges have to be very careful about the fact that they are constantly being subject to this barrage of special interest groups trying to alter the decisions of what happens in the courts," he said while replying to a question on whether trolling on social media impacts judges.
Chandrachud also said that in a democracy the power to decide the validity of laws is entrusted to the constitutional courts.
"Separation of powers postulates that law-making will be carried out by the legislature, execution of law will be carried out by the executive and the judiciary will interpret the law and decide the disputes. There are times when this comes under strain. Policy making is entrusted to the government in a democracy.
"When fundamental rights are involved, courts are duty bound under the Constitution to step in. Policy making is the job of the legislature, but deciding on its validity is the job and responsibility of the courts," Chandrachud said.
Defending the collegium system, the 50th CJI said there is a lot of misunderstanding about the process and it very nuanced and multi-layered.
"It's not as if the judiciary has exclusive role to play in appointment of judges," he said adding that first thing to be considered in seniority of judges.
When asked, if judges should enter politics, the former CJI said there is no bar in Constitution or in law to do so.
"Society continues to look at you as a judge even after retirement, therefore, things which are alright for other citizens to do would not be alright for judges to do even when they demit office.
"Primarily it is for every judge to take a call on whether a decision which he takes after retirement will have a bearing on people who assess the work which he did as a judge," he said.
Chandrachud retired on November 10 after a stint of two years as CJI.
