The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today upheld a High Court verdict that scrapped part of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, which had abolished the caretaker government system, and restored provisions for holding referendums on constitutional amendments.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, dismissed the appeals challenging the High Court judgment and seeking the cancellation of the entire 15th Amendment, which had also introduced several significant changes to the Constitution, Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal told reporters following the verdict.
The details of the apex court's verdict will be known after the full text of the judgment is released.
Meanwhile, journalists were not allowed to enter the courtroom.
The Jatiya Sangsad passed the 15th Amendment on June 30, 2011, scrapping the 13th Amendment, which had introduced the caretaker government system in 1996.
The 15th Amendment retained Islam's status as the state religion, added "Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim" with its translation -- "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful / In the name of the Creator, the Merciful" -- to the Constitution, introduced provisions for holding parliamentary polls within 90 days before the end of Parliament's tenure, gave more powers to the War Crimes Tribunal, and made it mandatory to display the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at all government offices. Bangabandhu's historic March 7, 1971, speech was also placed in the Fifth Schedule through the amendment.
On December 17, 2024, the High Court scrapped part of the 15th Amendment that had abolished the caretaker government system and restored provisions for holding referendums on constitutional amendments.
Four citizens -- Badiul Alam Majumdar, M Hafizuddin Khan, Md Jobirul Hoque Bhuiyan, and Zahrah Rahman -- filed an appeal with the Appellate Division on November 3 last year, challenging the High Court verdict and seeking cancellation of the entire 15th Amendment.
Jamaat-e-Islami, freedom fighter Md Mofazzal Hossain, and rights organisation Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) also filed separate appeals against the High Court verdict.
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal represented the state, while Sharif Bhuiyan, assisted by Barrister Reduanul Karim, appeared for Badiul. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir argued for Jamaat-e-Islami, Barrister Imran Siddiq for HRSS, Barrister ASM Shahriar Kabir for Mofazzal, and Barrister Ehsan A Siddiq and Barrister Muhammed Belayet Hossain argued as interveners during the three-day hearing on the appeals.
