BNP said Thursday the two judges only echoed the prime minister in making their remarks about the patriotism of the leader of the opposition.
'We are astonished and aggrieved by the behaviour of the two judges,' he said.
Khaleda Zia's patriotism is beyond doubt, he said.
Speaking at a news briefing at the central office of BNP, its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded withdrawal of a case filed against 14 lawyers and the order debarring them from practising in any court in Bangladesh.
Fakhrul said that the Awami League led government has politicised the judiciary.
He said that following a scuffle that took place between two groups of lawyers no action was taken against the pro ruling party lawyers.
'Biased action taken unilaterally only against the opposition leaning lawyers indicates the extent of politicisation,' he said.
He said that he wondered whether the two judges took oath of impartiality and failed to conduct themselves accordingly.
He said that the system places a particular burden on the judges – an impartial judicial referee is essential to produce an appropriately just result.
Moreover, he said, the society expects not only that judges conduct themselves without actual bias toward the parties, but also that judges are viewed, both by the critical participants and third-party observers, as unbiased - in other words, they must avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
He said that every judge is duty bound by the oath of office.
Fakhrul said, 'Truth cannot be changed by a judge's ruling and one's patriotism cannot be questioned by a partisan judge's order.'
He said that the people of the country, not only the lawyers, felt aggrieved over the way the BNP chairperson's name was unduly dragged in a case she had nothing to do.
He said the government has put the people and the judiciary face to face by taking political issues to court.
Fakhrul said the entire country was shocked and astonished over the way the judges unduly dragged the name of Khaleda Zia in a writ petition filed against Mufti Amini.
The judges' remarks against Khaleda Zia were uncalled for and clearly against the scope of the writ petition, he said.
'It makes one thing clear that some judges having blind loyalty to the ruling party are implementing the prime minister's vengeance by issuing court ruling,' he said.
He said, 'Political statements should be dealt with politically.'
He said that by taking the issue to the court an unnecessary controversy has been created.
BNP vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, joint secretaries general Amanullah Aman and Rizvi Ahmed and lawyer Masud Ahmed Taluker were also present at the news briefing.
Source : New Age
