National Desk
Dhaka, [Date] – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh today reinstated the election-time caretaker government system, a move hailed by legal experts as “historic.” The full bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, delivered a unanimous verdict allowing civil appeals related to the caretaker government to proceed.
Senior advocate Zainul Abedin, who represented the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in one of the petitions, described the verdict as a milestone for democratic rights. “Today is like Eid for the people of Bangladesh. The Appellate Division has unanimously delivered a verdict reinstating the caretaker government system. The people of the country will now be able to freely vote for the candidates of their choice,” he said.
Another BNP representative, senior advocate Ruhul Quddus Kazal, noted that the Awami League government had previously abolished the caretaker system through the 15th amendment to the Constitution. “After its removal, citizens were deprived of the opportunity to exercise their voting rights freely. A total of 154 Members of Parliament were elected unopposed, and in many constituencies, voting took place on the night before the election day. The previous verdict, delivered under Justice ABM Khairul Haque, reflected personal preferences rather than legal principles,” he added.
Advocate Sharif Bhuiyan, representing five distinguished citizens who filed a separate petition, emphasized that the court had clearly annulled the judgment issued under Justice Khairul Haque’s leadership. “As a result, the caretaker government system has returned to the Constitution. Considering the current context, this verdict is truly historic. The earlier judgment marked the beginning of a 15-year authoritarian period in Bangladesh and was poorly drafted with a particular intention,” he stated.
Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir, representing Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in the case, clarified that the reinstatement of the caretaker government system will not affect the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. “The system will come into effect for the 14th parliamentary election in the future,” he said.
The Supreme Court’s decision restores the non-party caretaker government framework that had historically overseen national elections to ensure neutrality and transparency. Legal analysts suggest that the verdict may have significant implications for the country’s political landscape, potentially affecting the conduct and oversight of future parliamentary elections.