DHAKA: Protesting the motion of the incumbent government on constitution amendment and impeachment of judges, speakers a roundtable said it would be wise to bring the changes immediately.

The roundtable discussion titled ‘Amendment to the Constitution: Impeachment of the Judges and its Significance’ organized by Shushanar Janniya Nagorik (Shujan) at the National Press Club on Monday.

Shujan secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumder presented keynote at the discussion.

Eminent lawyer and principal author of Bangladesh Constitution Dr Kamal Hossain, former Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, noted columnist Syed Abul Moksud, Dhaka University Law Professor Dr Asif Nazrul, Nagarik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Shujan Chairman M Hafiz Uddin Khan and eminent journalist Mizanur Rahman Khan were among others present at the roundtable.

Addressing the program, Dr Kamal Hossain said the attack on judiciary does mean the attack on the constitution.

Criticizing the way of amending the constitution to empower the parliament to impeach Supreme Court judges, he said, “Public opinion should be solicited in this regard.”

Any amendment to the constitution should be brought on the basis of consensus, Dr Kamal added.

Mentioning the hastily move of the government for the amendment, he said, “Cabinet approval for any proposal to amend the constitution does not mean democracy.”

Columnist Syed Abul Moksud urged the government to remove all confusions before restoring 1972’s constitution.

Dr Asif Nazrul expressed his concern about the shift of impeachment power saying that it might create anarchy in future if the new government wants to impeach all the judges appointed by the former government.

Journalist Mizanur Rahman Khan proposed to increase the power of Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) before handover the power of impeaching the judges to the parliament.

On August 18, the cabinet approved a proposal on amending the constitution to restore the authority of parliament to impeach the Supreme Court judges.

BDST: 1655 HRS, SEP 01, 2014