Dhaka, Oct 24 (V7N) – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has scheduled a hearing for November 17, 2024, to review three petitions challenging the previous ruling that abolished the caretaker government system during elections. The six-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed, made the decision on Thursday morning.

The petitions were filed by prominent figures including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar, and Sujon editor Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, all seeking a reconsideration of the cancellation of the caretaker government.

The caretaker government system was first introduced through the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1996. However, its validity was challenged in court in 1998, and after a lengthy legal process, the Appellate Division ruled in 2011 that the system was unconstitutional. Following this ruling, the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed on June 30, 2011, officially abolishing the caretaker government system.

The November 17 hearing will determine whether the court will review its 2011 decision, a development closely watched by political parties and civil society groups, as it has significant implications for the conduct of future elections in Bangladesh.

END/MSS/AJ